A Lecturer in African Christianity at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and former General Secretary of the Christian Council of Ghana, Rev. Opuni Frimpong, has taken issue with recent comments made by the Minister of Education, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu, regarding the ongoing debate over religious practices in Ghana’s mission schools, particularly Wesley Girls’ High School.
The controversy resurfaced after the Education Minister, while addressing Parliament on Tuesday, November 25, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to protecting the religious rights of all students. His statement referenced the concerns of Muslim students at the centre of a legal challenge involving Wesley Girls’ High School.
Speaking in an interview with newseyegh.com, Rev. Opuni Frimpong argued that the Minister’s approach delivered, in his view, as a “threat” from the floor of Parliament was not the right way to address such a sensitive national issue. He emphasized that resolving religious tensions in schools requires broad stakeholder engagement rather than public admonitions directed at specific institutions.
Rev. Frimpong further pointed out that many Islamic schools do not host churches on their premises, a situation he believes similarly affects the religious rights of Christian students in those institutions. He argued that if the Minister is genuinely committed to upholding human rights, he must focus on fostering dialogue and consensus, especially since mission schools operate under established Memoranda of Understanding with the state.
He also stressed that churches have a legitimate right to preserve the identity, teachings, and traditions of the institutions they founded many of which predate Ghana’s independence. While government support for these schools is acknowledged, Rev. Frimpong insisted that such support should not override their foundational religious values.
