President John Mahama has added his voice to the ongoing controversies surrounding a growing dispute about the rights of Muslim students in mission schools.

The growing dispute started when reports surfaced that Wesley Girls Senior High School was restricting Muslim students from practising their faith, i.e., fasting, prayers. On November 28, Imam Sahamudeen Bamba publicly reignited the controversy, accusing Wesley Girls’ SHS of continuing to restrict Muslim students. His accusations come on the back of a pending lawsuit which was filed at the Supreme Court of Ghana by lawyer Shafic Osman, challenging Wesley Girls’ SHS for allegedly restricting Muslim students from fasting and wearing hijabs.

Following Sahamudeen’s allegations, he openly called on President Mahama to intervene. Consequently, the President, speaking during a meeting with the National Peace Council on Wednesday, December 10, expressed his surprise at the tensions, citing that an MoU signed by these missionary schools clearly spell out the institution's acceptance of recognition of diversity.

Hence, President Mahama expressed confidence in the Supreme Court’s ruling, saying, “There is a matter before the Supreme Court which is yet to be determined. If you read what the faith-based organisations agreed in their own MoU, I don’t see any point of dispute.

"They all accept that if there is a mission school, it has its faith orientation, but within that faith orientation, there must be recognition of diversity. It is right there in the MoU. I don’t want to suggest it, but I think the Supreme Court has its work cut out for it because the same people signed that MoU, so I don’t see what the contention there is”.

The President also referred to a part of the MoU that spelt out regulations about fasting for both the Christian and Islamic religions. According to him, the agreement was that in cases where a student, by religious obligation, sought to fast, it would be subject to the approval of their parents. Once approved, any repercussions or health implications resulting from the fast would be the responsibility of the parents and not the school.

“And there is even a section that talks about fasting because Christians fast and Muslims fast. You can find a Christian student in a Muslim school and a Muslim in a Christian school. And it says that yes, the student can fast if the parents approve. And if there are any health consequences from the fasting, the responsibility shall be that of the parent and not the school”, the President said.

It will be recalled that, in 2024, the National Peace Council facilitated the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between faith-based organisations and the Ghana Education Service, which was aimed at regulating and managing religious diversity in mission schools, covering practices like fasting, worship spaces, and dress codes.

He went on to commend the Peace Council for their facilitation to ensure, maintain and peace and harmony in our respective SHS.

“So I think that it is something we can be proud of, and I want to congratulate the Peace Council for being the facilitators of that understanding between the faith-based schools,” he added.

In a related development, the Methodist Church of Ghana denied allegations that regulations governing the Wesley Girls' High School (WGHS) treat students unfairly based on their religion.

In a statement issued on Friday, November 28, the Church said the school continues to uphold unity and discipline by welcoming students from all walks of life.

The statement emphasized that students are expected to adhere to the school’s traditions, regardless of their background or personal beliefs, and noted that these traditions have shaped WGHS into the respected institution it is today.

Wading into the conversation, the National Council of Parent-Teacher Associations (NCPTA) noted that all schools must embrace each and every student’s religious beliefs and ensure no faith is given preference over another.

According to a statement on Tuesday, November 25, NCPTA added that schools that undermine the rights of students across the country are violating Articles 12, 17, and 21(1)(c) of the Constitution.

“As public entities, all schools and their administrators must uphold the supremacy of the Constitution,” parts of the statement read.

As per Articles 12, 17 and 21(1)(c) “the fundamental human rights and freedoms enshrined in this Chapter shall be respected and upheld by the Executive, Legislature and Judiciary and all other organs of government and its agencies and, where applicable to them, by all natural and legal persons in Ghana, and shall be enforceable by the Courts as provided for in this Constitution.

“Every person in Ghana, whatever his race, place of origin, political opinion, colour, religion, creed or gender, shall be entitled to the fundamental human rights and freedoms of the individual contained in this Chapter, but subject to respect for the rights and freedoms of others and for the public interest.

But Attorney General (A-G) and Minister, Dr. Dominic Ayine, has declared his support for the religious policy practised at Wesley Girls’ Senior High School (SHS).

The A-G has stated that Wesley Girls’ School is not obliged to accommodate other religious practices. He added that Wesley Girls’ Senior High School, being a Methodist Church of Ghana institution, has the right to uphold its Methodist values.