Presbyterian Church of Ghana Joins Wesley Girls High School Lawsuit to Defend Mission Schools
- The Presbyterian Church of Ghana said it has officially joined the lawsuit against Wesley Girls High School
- Moderator Rt. Rev. Dr Abraham Nana Opare Kwakye announced the 8th Annual Consultation on Education at Abetifi-Kwahu on July 22
- The PCG says the case carries consequences for all mission schools in Ghana, not only those under the Methodist Church
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The Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG) has formally entered the ongoing legal action alleging religious discrimination by Wesley Girls High School, with the church's leadership arguing that the case carries significant consequences for every mission school across the country.
Rt. Rev. Dr Abraham Nana Opare Kwakye, Moderator of the General Assembly, disclosed the development on Wednesday during the 8th Annual Consultation on Education, held at the Ramseyer Training Centre in Abetifi-Kwahu.
Source: Facebook
The consultation brought together heads of institutions, education directors, and church leaders under the theme "Building on the Foundation Already Laid: Our Mission to Transform Society."
Addressing participants, the Moderator stressed that the lawsuit, though originally directed at Wesley Girls High School and the Methodist Church, reaches further than a single denomination.
"Its implications extend beyond the Methodist Church to all mission schools," he said. "We believe the outcome will affect us, and the Supreme Court has allowed us to join the suit."
He framed the decision as one rooted in the church's responsibility to uphold values that its founding missionaries and successive generations of Presbyterian educators established.
"We pray for a favourable ruling that protects the ancient boundaries set by our fathers," he added.
The PCG's intervention reflects broader concerns among mission school administrators about judicial rulings that could alter the governance, ethos, or disciplinary frameworks these institutions have historically maintained.
The Moderator argued that mission schools have long served as pillars of both moral and intellectual development in Ghana, and that their autonomy deserves legal protection.
About the religious discrimination lawsuit
The lawsuit was filed by a lawyer and academic, Shafic Kwabena Osman.
Osman, a lawyer by training, filed the lawsuit in December 2024 to contest the school’s alleged restrictions on Muslim students, including claims that they are barred from wearing the hijab.
He also stated that there has been opposition to students fasting during Ramadan and observing other Islamic practices at the school.
The case is based on the assertion that such discrimination violates constitutional protections, including Freedom of Thought, Conscience, and Belief, and Freedom to Practice and Manifest Religion, as captured in Article 21 of the Constitution.
Christian Council speaks on Wesley Girls' suit
YEN.com.gh reported that the Christian Council of Ghana had called for an out-of-court settlement in the Wesley Girls' discrimination lawsuit.
The General Secretary of the Council, Reverend Dr Cyril Fayose, described the case as a 'sensitive religious matter' with serious implications.
Source: YEN.com.gh
