The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference has criticized Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu for warning schools not to infringe on students’ religious rights, describing his comments as unnecessary and potentially disruptive.
The Minister made the remarks in Parliament on November 25, insisting that no student should be barred from practicing their faith. His statement came after the Supreme Court directed Wesley Girls’ SHS to respond to claims that it restricts Muslim students’ religious practices.
However, the President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference, Most Rev. Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, says the issue had already been resolved through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed three months ago by major religious bodies and the Ghana Education Service. The MoU outlines that faith-based schools must uphold their founding principles while ensuring minority religions are not discriminated against.
The Bishop expressed surprise that the Minister would “resurrect” a matter settled through national consensus, warning that such comments could reignite religious tensions. The Bishops insist they will adhere to the existing framework and see no basis for reopening the debate.