Permitting Multiple Religious Practices in Christian Schools Would Fracture Communal Unity and Discipline- Christian Council

The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference and the Christian Council of Ghana have jointly defended educational regulations which restrict the full practice of non-Christian religions within Christian mission schools.

In a statement, they emphasised that the entrenched position is not rooted in hostility towards other faiths, but in a desire to preserve the integrity of institutions.

It stated that Christian mission educational institutions stand out not only for academic excellence but also for cultivating integrity, responsibility, discipline, and service.

As such, they argued that permitting separate religious practices, uniforms, and prayer schedules would fracture the communal unity and discipline that underpin the school’s ethos.

“A cohesive community guided by shared values, common worship, and a single code of conduct has consistently produced graduates whose virtues endure throughout their lives. Parallel religious systems could erode this cohesion and weaken the qualities that have made our mission schools strong.”

Partnership Not Takeover
The statement also highlighted the existing relationship between the government and the mission schools, saying it’s only a partnership.

“We acquired the land, built the schools, trained the teachers, and shaped the ethos long before the modern State of Ghana existed. When the government began assisting us, us-primarily by paying teacher salaries and regulating curricula, it joined an already functioning system. State support, therefore, is a partnership, not a takeover. The ownership and identity of these schools reside with us.”

As such, it affirmed that the government assistance does not diminish this identity, nor does it confer the right to alter the core religious character that defines these institutions.

Choice
The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference and the Christian Council of Ghana also reminded the public that opting for a Christian mission school by non-Christians is a choice by parents.

As such, they deem it unreasonable for anyone to demand that they change their core character to accommodate other religious preferences.

“Ghana offers many alternatives-fully public schools, Islamic schools, and private institutions, ensuring that the rights of non-Christian students are respected without requiring us to dilute our identity.”

Religious Freedom
Another argument it put forth was that Christian communities have the constitutional right to operate schools that express their faith.

“Expecting us to suppress the Christian identity of our schools to accommodate every religious group would infringe upon this freedom. The religious character of our schools is essential, not incidental. Maintaining it is both legitimate and lawful, even while welcoming students from diverse backgrounds who freely choose to join our mission.”

“Ultimately, our stance is rooted in the very heart of our missionary purpose. These schools were never established merely to instruct in mathematics, literature, or science. They were founded to form young people holistically, intellectually, morally, and spiritually— in the light of the Gospel.

“Christian worship, formation, and values are not peripheral additions; they are integral to our identity and the very reason for our existence. To demand that we secularise our environment or remove Christian practices is to undermine the foundational mission that brought these institutions into being.”

Faith Suppression Saga
The conversation has been sparked by a suit, filed in December 2024 by private legal practitioner Shafic Osman, invoking the original jurisdiction of the Supreme Court under Articles 2(1)(b) and 130(1)(a) of the 1992 Constitution.

The action challenges the school’s alleged restrictions on Muslim students, including claims that they are barred from wearing the hijab, fasting during Ramadan, and observing other Islamic practices, actions the plaintiffs argue violate constitutional protections for religious freedom.

Story by Hajara Fuseini

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