The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference has expressed strong disappointment with recent comments by the Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, cautioning schools against infringing on students’ rights to practice their religion.
The Conference said the minister’s remarks were unnecessary and risked reopening tensions that religious bodies have recently resolved.
Addressing Parliament on Tuesday, November 25, 2025, the education minister warned that no child should be prevented from practising their chosen religion, emphasising that the rights of every Ghanaian student must be protected regardless of faith.
He stressed that the Ministry would not tolerate any infringement on students’ religious rights.
His comments followed a Supreme Court directive asking Wesley Girls’ Senior High School to respond to allegations that it restricts Muslim students from observing aspects of their faith—claims contained in a suit filed by private legal practitioner, Shafic Osman.
Speaking to Citi News in an interview, President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference, Most Rev. Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, said all major religious groups—including Muslims, Catholics, Protestants, SDAs, and even the Police Service—signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) three months ago outlining how religious tolerance should be managed in schools.
“It is very unfortunate. We don’t know why the Minister has resurrected issues that have already been settled. Barely three months ago, all religious bodies signed an MoU on religious tolerance. The Director-General of the Ghana Education Service also signed, and this document was to guide the reopening of schools,” he said.
He explained that under the MoU, schools established by religious bodies must be allowed to operate based on their founding ethos, values, and philosophy, while ensuring that minority faiths are not discriminated against and are granted reasonable space to practise their religion.
“If parents choose a Catholic school, they must understand the ethos that governs that school. Catholics will not abandon their principles so that every religion is practised anyhow. Similarly, if a Catholic child goes to a Muslim or Presbyterian school, they must respect that school’s rules. Otherwise, schools become ungovernable.”
Most Rev. Gyamfi said he was surprised that the Minister would reignite a debate that religious leaders have already resolved through dialogue and consensus.
“I am a little surprised he would go back to Parliament to make those statements. I don’t know what he was trying to achieve other than to awaken misunderstandings or religious conflict. Our politicians must be very careful not to use religion in ways that create problems for the country. We already have enough challenges,” he cautioned.
He stressed that religious bodies remain committed to the MoU and see no need to revisit matters that have already been settled.
“For us, nothing is going to change. What we agreed upon is what will govern our schools. So why resurrect this issue?” he questioned.
The Bishops insist that the agreed framework already addresses all concerns and should guide stakeholders moving forward.
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