Frimpong Manso Institute urges restraint in SHS religious freedom debate, calls for tolerance and responsible media engagement

Frimpong Manso Institute (FMI) has called for calm, balance and responsible public discourse amid the ongoing national debate on religious freedom and tolerance in senior high schools.

FMI said it is “following with grave concern the raging debate on religious freedom and tolerance in our senior high schools,” noting that while discussions are important, extreme positions risk inflaming tensions.

A statement issued and signed by Dr. Afrail Monney, a Fellow of  the Media and Security Thematic Area of the Frimpong Manso Institute (FMI), on Thursday, November 27, 2025 cautioned all sides involved in the debate to tread carefully.

 “We caution the extreme flanks of the debate to be extra cautious in order not to stoke up religious tensions and derail the culture of peaceful coexistence among people of all faiths,” the statement said.

The Frimpong Manso Institute (FMI) is following with grave concern the raging national debate on religious freedom and tolerance in our senior high schools.

We caution the extreme flanks of the debate to exercise the highest level of restraint so as not to stoke religious tensions or undermine the culture of peaceful coexistence that has long defined relations among people of all faiths in Ghana.

From time immemorial, religious tolerance has served as the bedrock of national unity and peace in our country. It is this same spirit of tolerance that must continue to hold us together rather than tear us apart.

We urge the media in particular to tone down divisive rhetoric and instead amplify messages that promote peace, understanding and constructive dialogue. Indeed, the practice of solutions-oriented journalism is what all peace-loving and law-abiding Ghanaians expect from both traditional media practitioners and social media activists in these trying moments.

FMI further refers to the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) agreed and adopted by government-assisted and private mission schools in 2024, particularly its emphasis on the need for mission schools to uphold a culture of tolerance, inclusivity and cooperation, even as they maintain the vision and mission of their respective religious bodies.

This framework, we believe, provides a workable middle ground for resolving any emerging conflicts and restoring the nation firmly onto the path of inter-faith harmony, durable peace and unshakable national unity.

Source: Ghana/otecfmghana.com