The Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC) has called for a constructive dialogue with representatives from the Christian mission schools to amicably address religious faiths in their institutions.
The Council called for collaborative efforts to ensure that policies upheld the educational mission and values of institutions whilst creating space for individuals to practice their religious beliefs.
A statement signed by Apostle Dr. Eric K. Nyamekye, President, GPCC, issued to the Ghana News Agency on Thursday, said the Council had followed the national discourse surrounding Christian mission schools and the practice of other religious faiths, especially with a focus on the Wesley Girls Senior High School.
“The GPCC recognises that contemporary Ghana is pluralistic and diverse in all spheres, not excluding religious beliefs and practices,” it said.
“While this diversity must be celebrated, it must also be managed with utmost care, mutual respect, and fidelity to the Constitution of Ghana.”
The statement advocated the recognition and respect of the right of Christian mission schools to preserve their religious identity, ethos, values, and traditions.
It said the constitutional rights of all students to freedom of religious association should be respected.
The responsibility of parents to choose schools that align with their religious expectations, practices, and values for their children should be seriously encouraged.
“The need for clear and elaborate national guidelines that protect institutions and individuals alike should be of utmost importance to all relevant stakeholders,” the statement said.
Various provisions in Articles 17(2), 21(1), and 25(1) of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana collectively recognise and protect the rights of individuals and institutions to practise and associate for
religious purposes without discrimination.
These provisions underpinned the autonomy of Christian mission schools to maintain their religious values and character, it noted.
“No student should be coerced into abandoning their faith practices. However, the Council also wishes to emphasise that the exercise of religious freedoms must occur within the context of mutual respect and institutional norms,” the statement said.
It noted that Christian mission schools were not state-owned institutions; they were mission-owned but state-supported.
“We call for a balance between institutional autonomy and individual religious expressions,” the statement said.
“We acknowledge that Ghana’s social fabric can remain strong if diverse beliefs coexist peacefully.”
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