The President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference, Most Rev. Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, has questioned the Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu what he seeks by resurrecting issues that have already been settled.
Most Rev. Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi revealed that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between all major religious groups, including Muslims, Catholics, Protestants, SDAs, and even the Police Service, on how religious tolerance should be handled in schools.
According to the Most Rev. Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, Catholics will not abandon their principles so that every religion is practised, adding that when a Catholic child goes to a Muslim or Presbyterian school, they must also respect that school’s rules.
Speaking to Citi News in an interview, the President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference, Most Rev. Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, “It is very unfortunate. We don’t know why the Minister has resurrected issues that have already been settled. Barely three months ago, all religious bodies signed an MoU on religious tolerance. The Director-General of the Ghana Education Service also signed, and this document was to guide the reopening of schools”.
“If parents choose a Catholic school, they must understand the ethos that governs that school. Catholics will not abandon their principles so that every religion is practised anyhow. Similarly, if a Catholic child goes to a Muslim or Presbyterian school, they must respect that school’s rules. Otherwise, schools become ungovernable.”
He further cautioned, “I am a little surprised he would go back to Parliament to make those statements. I don’t know what he was trying to achieve other than to awaken misunderstandings or religious conflict. Our politicians must be very careful not to use religion in ways that create problems for the country. We already have enough challenges”.
Most Rev. Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi further emphasised that religious bodies remain committed to the MoU, adding that he sees no need to revisit matters settled already.
“For us, nothing is going to change. What we agreed upon is what will govern our schools. So why resurrect this issue?” he questioned.
His comments come on the back of Haruna Iddrisu, the Minister of Education, who has said his ministry will not deny any Ghanaian the opportunity to practice any religion.
The Education Minister stressed that the government will ensure no student is deprived of their right to practise their religion.
According to him, Wesley Girls’ Muslim restrictions contradict the international human rights standards and Ghana’s Constitution.
His statement was in reaction to a lawsuit filed by lawyer Shafic Osman, which alleges that Muslim students at Wesley Girls’ High School are being prevented from observing their faith.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament on Tuesday, November 25, 2025, Haruna Iddrisu stated, “There is some ongoing debate on restrictions on Muslim students in Wesley Girls, which conflicts with international human rights standards and even standards expected of us in Ghana’s Constitution and under Article 33(5) and 26(1) of the Constitution.
“We have a duty to uphold the rights of every Ghanaian child and to uphold the rights of every Ghanaian citizen. No right is divisible. We will not countenance any action by any person to deny any Ghanaian girl the opportunity to practice any religion,” he said.
It will be recalled that, in December 2024, Shafic Osman, a Ghanaian lawyer and PhD candidate at the London School of Economics, sued Wesley Girls’ Senior High School and the Government at the Supreme Court.
The case filed cited Wesley Girls’ restricting Muslim students from wearing the hijab, fasting during Ramadan, and practising other aspects of their faith.
Shafic Osman argued that a public school cannot lawfully restrict the religious rights of Muslim students nor compel them to practise a faith they do not subscribe to.
He grounded his case in the Constitution and international human rights principles, arguing that Wesley Girls’ rules violate Ghana’s constitutional protections for religious freedom.
However, Dominic Ayine, Attorney General and Minister for Justice, has responded to a legal challenge over religious rules at Wesley Girls’ Senior High School (SHS).
According to the Attorney General, Wesley Girls is not a public school in the ordinary sense. It is a school owned by the Methodist Church but managed and funded by the government of Ghana.
Also, the Supreme Court has ordered the Wesley Girls Senior High School to formally respond to allegations that it prevents Muslim students from practising their religion in the school.