Religious Discrimination: Mission Schools Aren’t Merely Public Schools- Anglican Church

The Anglican Church of Ghana has lent its support to the position of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference and the Christian Council of Ghana regarding ongoing discourse on the restriction on non-Christian religious practices within Christian mission schools.

In a statement, it affirmed that mission schools aren’t mere public entities but were established to propagate specific religious values, possess an incontrovertible right to preserve their religious identity and ethos.

This, it said, includes the authority to set rules on uniforms, religious observances, and other operational matters congruent with their foundational mission.

According to the church, this is enshrined in Ghana’s Constitution (Article 21(1)(c))

“We unequivocally support the position articulated by the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference and the Christian Council of Ghana…”

“While the Anglican Church of Ghana staunchly upholds the principles of religious tolerance, mutual respect, and inclusivity essential to Ghana’s pluralistic society, we equally assert that these values must be harmonised with the legitimate expectations of religious institutions.

Mission schools are not merely public entities; they are establishments deliberately founded by churches to transmit specific spiritual and moral values. To compel them to abandon or dilute their religious character would infringe upon their constitutionally protected freedom of religion and association.”

It therefore encouraged government officials, legal practitioners, parents, and the broader public to approach the issue with judicious balance, recognising that respecting the religious autonomy of mission schools does not equate to discrimination but rather to upholding the rule of law and Ghana’s constitutional guarantees on religious freedom.

Faith Suppression Saga
The debate was sparked by a suit, filed in December 2024 by private legal practitioner Shafic Osman, invoking the original jurisdiction of the Supreme Court under Articles 21(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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