Ghanaian Doctor Backs Religious Freedom, Cites Marhguy Case in Wesley Girls' Debate
- A Ghanaian doctor shared his personal experience to buttress his point on the need to observe religious freedom in Ghanaian public schools
- He argued that Wesley Girls’ rules should not override constitutional rights in a government-funded institution
- The doctor referenced the Marhguy v. Achimota case as a legal precedent for religious expression in schools
A Ghanaian medical doctor has weighed in on the contentious religious debate at Wesley Girls' High School, drawing from his own personal experience.
Source: Facebook
The medical doctor, identified as Dr Sa-ad Iddrisu, in a post trending online, shared his personal story of being educated in Christian mission schools.
The young doctor used his childhood experience as a Muslim to call for the protection of religious freedoms in all public institutions.
Doctor speaks on Wesley Girls' religious saga
He said:
"If you take ten Muslims in Ghana, chances are that at least three have attended a Christian school at some point in their lives."
Dr Iddrisu shared his own background as an example, noting that he attended a Seventh-Day Adventist (SDA) nursery and later completed his primary and junior high education at Evangelical Presbyterian (E.P.) schools in Tamale.
"Muslims and Christians have lived together peacefully in Ghana for generations," he continued, "and Wesley Girls’ High School should not disrupt this harmony."
At the heart of Dr Iddrisu's argument is a constitutional principle. He stressed that because Wesley Girls' is a government-assisted public school, it is subject to the laws of the nation above its own internal, denominational rules.
In his words:
"Wesley Girls' is a public school funded by the government. The Constitution, therefore, overrides any denominational rules within any school."
Citing a recent legal precedent, he pointed to the landmark High Court ruling in the Marhguy v. Achimota School & Attorney-General case (May 31, 2021), where two Rastafarian students won the right to be admitted with their dreadlocks.
He suggested this case should serve as a guide for Wesley Girls’ High School in navigating the conflict between school rules and a student's constitutional right to religious expression.
See the post below:
Source: Facebook
Lawyer speaks on Wesley Girls' religious saga
In a similar report, Ghanaian Lawyer Godlove Adjei Tenkorang also gave his commentary on the ongoing national debate surrounding Wesley Girls' High School.
The lawyer defended the institution's right to enforce its internal regulations, arguing that its rules are consistent with its founding Methodist doctrines and are legally protected under the Ghanaian constitution.
Source: Facebook
He argued that parents who choose to enroll their children in such schools are aware of their religious identity from the onset and should expect their children to adhere to the school's established ethos.
Watch the video below:
Wesley Girls is a missionary school - Bishops
YEN.com.gh had earlier reported that the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference and the Christian Council of Ghana firmly restated their position on the ongoing debate involving Wesley Girls’ Senior High School and concerns raised by members of the Islamic faith.
They argued that some of these Christian schools existed long before Ghana became a state and thus must be accorded the necessary respect.
Proofreading by Samuel Gitonga, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
