By: Peter Okore Affam
1. INTRODUCTION
Ghana is currently discussing an important issue, the relationship between mission schools and religious freedom, especially in the case of Wesley Girls High School.
This discussion is not just about one school; it is about our identity, our values, and how we preserve peace and unity in our country.
Today, I want to help us understand the matter from:
historical roots
legal principles
moral and cultural values
fairness and national cohesion
security and peacebuilding perspective
2. HISTORICAL ROOTS OF MISSION SCHOOLS
Before Ghana had a formal public school system, the Christian missions were the ones educating our children.
The Methodist Church, Presbyterian Church, Catholic Church, Anglican Church, and others:
built the schools
trained the teachers
developed the curricula
funded the infrastructure
instilled Christian discipline and values
These institutions were never secular.
From the beginning, they were Christian learning communities.
Wesley Girls High School, Mfantsipim, Holy Child, Adisco, Presec, Opoku Ware, St. Louis and others were all established on one foundation:
Excellent education grounded in Christian worship, discipline, and morality.
This is their DNA.
This is their identity.
This is their history.
3. PARTNERSHIP WITH GOVERNMENT — NOT A TAKEOVER
When the Government of Ghana later stepped in to:
pay teachers
support infrastructure
streamline curriculum
it was done as a partnership, not a takeover.
Government supports mission schools because:
Christian parents pay taxes
the schools serve the national population
mission schools have historically produced disciplined, responsible leaders
the country benefits from their educational standards
But government support never erased the church’s identity or ownership.
Every mission school still has:
church-appointed boards
chaplains
morning devotions
worship services
Christian discipline practices
The religious foundation of these schools is protected, not removed.
4. THE PRINCIPLE OF CHOICE — A FAIR AND PEACEFUL SOLUTION
Ghana is blessed with a wide variety of schools:
Public schools (religiously neutral)
Mission Christian schools
Islamic/Ahmadiyya schools
Private secular schools
Private religious schools
Parents and students have complete freedom to choose any of these.
Therefore:
If a family wants Islamic education, Islamic school is available.
If a family wants Christian formation mission schools exist for that purpose.
If they want a neutral environment → public schools are available.
Choosing Wesley Girls means choosing a Christian environment.
Choosing T.I. Ahmadiyya means choosing an Islamic environment.
Everyone has freedom of choice, which is the essence of fairness.
5. THE CONSTITUTIONAL BALANCE
The 1992 Constitution protects:
Freedom of worship
Freedom of religious institutions to practice their faith
Freedom of parents to choose schools for their children
The Constitution does not compel a religious school to:
❌ abandon its faith
❌ remove its values
❌ operate as a neutral institution
The same way Muslim schools maintain Islamic practices,
Christian schools also maintain Christian practices.
This is equal treatment, not discrimination.
6. SOCIAL COHESION & RELIGIOUS PEACE
As a Peace and Security expert, let me emphasize this:
Religious peace is delicate.
Conflicts often start from small institutional disagreements.
If Ghana begins forcing Christian schools to adopt Islamic practices,
or forcing Islamic schools to adopt Christian practices,
the result will be:
tension
suspicion
resentment
and possible conflict
Preserving harmony requires respect for each group’s identity.
Ghana has enjoyed religious peace because:
Muslims respect Christian institutions
Christians respect Muslim institutions
each community maintains its freedom
We must not disrupt this stable formula.
7. NATIONAL VALUE AND IDENTITY
Mission schools are part of Ghana’s national identity.
They have shaped:
our leadership
our morality
our discipline
our system of boarding, guidance, mentorship, and conduct
These are not just schools, they are heritage institutions.
Removing their Christian identity would be:
ahistorical
unconstitutional
socially destabilizing
dangerous for national cohesion
We must protect what has built us.
8. THE FAIRNESS TEST
Fairness means:
✔ Christian schools keep Christian values
✔ Muslim schools keep Islamic values
✔ Parents choose what they want
✔ No school is forced to change its identity
✔ The government supports all without interference
This is equality.
This is fairness.
This is what preserves peace.
9. CONCLUSION
Ladies and gentlemen, the debate about Wesley Girls is not just about fasting or prayer.
It is about identity, freedom, choice, and national harmony.
Mission schools were founded on Christian values.
Government support does not change their identity.
Parents have the freedom to choose the environment they prefer for their children.
And Ghana’s religious peace is best protected when we respect the identity of every institution.
Let us preserve what works.
Let us protect our heritage.
Let us maintain fairness to all faiths.
And let us continue to build a peaceful, balanced, and united Ghana.
Thank you.
The writer is a Security, Safety & Intelligence Expert, Peace Advocate, and Minister of the Gospel.
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