The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference (GCBC) has stepped into the ongoing legal battle involving Wesley Girls’ High School, filing an affidavit at the Supreme Court of Ghana to support an amicus curiae (friend of the court) brief.
The affidavit, sworn by Joseph Kwaku Afrifah-Agyekum, confirms the accuracy of facts and documents presented by the Conference. According to the GCBC, its involvement is aimed at helping the court better understand the wider issues of religious coexistence within Ghana’s educational system
The suit was filed by private legal practitioner Shafic Osman, who is challenging certain religious policies at Wesley Girls.
He alleges that Muslim students in the school are compelled to take part in Christian religious activities while also facing restrictions on practising their own faith. These include limitations on wearing the hijab, observing Ramadan fasting, and performing other Islamic practices.
According to Osman, such actions violate provisions of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana particularly Articles 17 and 21 which guarantee freedom of religion and protection from discrimination.
Reacting to the development, GCBC President Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi clarified that the Conference is not backing any party in the case.
He explained that their role is simply to assist the court with balanced perspectives on how religious tolerance and accommodation can be handled in mission schools.
The Bishops’ Conference based its submission on a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on religious tolerance in schools, adopted in April 2024 in collaboration with key stakeholders, including the Ghana Education Service and various religious groups.
The MoU encourages mutual respect and reasonable accommodation for minority faiths, while still allowing mission schools to operate according to their founding beliefs and traditions.
The Supreme Court has already directed Wesley Girls and other respondents to respond to the claims. The case is still ongoing, and no final ruling has been made despite some misleading reports circulating on social media.
As the matter unfolds, many Ghanaians are watching closely, as the outcome could shape how religious rights and school policies are balanced across the country.
Source By BigTimezGH.com
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