No school has the power to silence a student’s Religion – Eduwatch

The right to choose a school does not give any institution the authority to disregard constitutionally protected religious freedoms, Africa Education Watch Executive Director Kofi Asare has cautioned.

Mr Asare stressed that religious liberty in senior high schools must remain intact and fully respected. He noted that for many years, Muslim students in various schools have freely observed their prayers, yet recent public debates have created an impression that such longstanding freedoms are suddenly at risk.

He explained that the core issue is the protection of religious rights in mission schools, a matter deeply rooted in Ghana’s Constitution as well as international human rights principles.

Mr Asare identified two key pillars that guide the exercise of these rights. The first is the principle of non-discrimination, which ensures that no student is treated unfairly or denied their freedom because of their religious beliefs. He pointed to constitutional provisions, particularly Article 17, which clearly prohibits discrimination on grounds including religion.

The second principle, he said, is non-compulsion. This means no student should be pressured to abandon their faith or forced to practice a religion they do not believe in, even within a mission school setting.

Addressing the argument that parents freely choose schools and therefore consent to their religious rules, Mr Asare insisted that constitutional rights cannot be overridden by choice.

He maintained that no matter the circumstances under which a student is enrolled, the principles of non-discrimination and non-compulsion remain fully applicable and cannot be compromised.

Mr Asare added that compelling students to act against their faith, or treating them differently because of where they are enrolled, amounts to a direct violation of their fundamental rights.