Advocates for Christ Ghana (A4CG), a movement committed to promoting godly values in public policy, national development, and civic discourse, has backed the Christian Council of Ghana’s call to allow mission schools to operate guided by their values.
“We unequivocally affirm and support the factual and principled stance taken by the Christian Council of Ghana, the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference, the Anglican Church of Ghana and all other Christian Groups across the nation.
“These institutions have historically steered the moral and educational foundations of our nation through the Mission Schools under their care, guided by values that promote discipline, excellence, and Godliness.”
A statement issued by the Educational arm of the group, signed by its chairman Edem Senanu, said the recent statements by the Minister of Education in Parliament concerning religious rights at Wesley Girls High School represent not only a distortion of the constitutional tenet of religious impartiality but also a potential violation of the duty of neutrality expected of a public office that served citizens of all faiths.
“The Minister of Education as the highest state official stewarding the educational aspirations of a multi-faith Ghana must maintain neutrality in word and deed, avoiding any posture that suggests bias toward one faith tradition,” it said.
The statement said Ghana has long benefited from the peaceful coexistence of Christians and Muslims, fostered by mutual respect and the freedom to establish schools and institutions that reflect each faith’s values.
“It is therefore dangerous to portray the enforcement of a Mission School’s internal policies as oppressive or in violation of religious freedoms, especially when attendance at such institutions is voluntary,” it added.
The statement said Islamic Mission Schools enforce internal rules consistent with their faith and Christian Mission Schools have long produced academic and moral excellence through structures that included religious discipline and health-conscious policies.
The 1992 Constitution provides both freedom of religion and the freedom to associate, including through faith-based institutions, it said.
The group said they reject any attempt to force Christian Mission Schools to dilute their identity and call on the Ministry of Education to clarify its commitment to neutrality, institutional autonomy, and respect for the diverse religious traditions that make Ghana a unique model of coexistence.
The statement urged the Ministry of education to engage in broad consultations with all faith-based stakeholders before issuing public pronouncements and reaffirm the state’s commitment to non-interference in the internal regulations of Mission Schools.
The Ministry of Education should uphold the commitment to hand back Mission Schools to their founding churches and missions, as promised in 2016 and act as a neutral arbiter committed to safeguarding the rights, freedoms, and dignity of all learners, regardless of religious background.
“We urge all Ghanaians – Christian, Muslim, and other faiths – to preserve our unity and national peace by resisting one-sided narratives that undermine institutions built on decades of service, sacrifice, and excellence, “the statement reiterated.
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