The Christian Council of Ghana (CCG) has called for reforms to protect students’ religious freedoms while preserving the legitimate ethos of mission-founded schools.
The Council said the reforms should safeguard freedom of thought, conscience, belief and religion without undermining the right to education or the identity of mission-founded institutions.
The Most Rev. Dr Paul Kwabena Boafo, Immediate Past Presiding Bishop of The Methodist Church Ghana, made the call at an Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) forum in Accra on proposals in the Constitutional Review Committee’s report.
He said Article 25 of the 1992 Constitution guaranteed the right to education, while Article 21 guaranteed freedom of thought, conscience, belief and religion.
The Most Rev. Dr Boafo said mission schools had contributed significantly to Ghana’s educational development, particularly in promoting literacy and civic formation, but as publicly funded institutions, they were required to uphold constitutional guarantees.
He said the CCG welcomed the CRC’s proposal to strengthen protection against religious discrimination in admission, boarding, discipline, student leadership and participation in school activities.
The Most Rev. Dr Boafo said educational institutions should, however, be allowed to maintain their distinctive religious character and practices, provided these did not infringe students’ constitutional rights.
He said the Council supported education as a national development priority and urged clear constitutional rules governing the relationship between religious freedom and education.
