The Vice Chairman of the National Advisory Council of the Scripture Union (SU) of Ghana has intimated that the leadership of the Mission Schools in the country are working towards taking full control of the schools from the Ghana Government.
Dr. Samuel Ofori Onguna hinted when he was speaking on recent developments in the Wesley Girls High School where some Muslim Students were restricted from observing the Ramadan fast.
Considering the debates the action of the school authorities has fomented in the public space, the Ghana Education Service (GES) issued a directive to them to allow students who wish to observe the fast do so, but Dr. Onguna noted that the Government has no power to give such directives.
According to him, the government should have engaged all stakeholders to deliberate on measures that will benefit all sides, but not to have issued a unilateral directive.
He however noted that because of the governance issues involved in running of the mission schools, the leadership is in the process of taking full control.
He said: “The government has no power to issue such directives. They should have engaed stakeholders to deliberate on measures that will benefit all sides. People say they have power, but it is the tax payer’s money in addition to export revenues they use in providing for the schools. Without our taxes, they have no money to make such provisions.
The discipline in our schools today have declined. We should have full control over the schools so that when you got to Amadiya you know their rules and comply with them likewise Methodist, which we are working towards.”
He added that it is not the first time the Christian Mission schools have admitted Muslim students who have passed through without challenging the rules governing them.
That notwithstanding, at some Muslim mission schools, their Christian students are not permitted to observe their religious rights, which they did not contest because they believe the authorities are acting in accordance with the school’s policy.
“In some of the Muslim schools, our christian students are not allowed to pray on campus. They are made to observe them outside the school campus. We were informed about the practice, but we did not make any attempt to question the authorities on it because it is their school and the students have to comply with their rules.
“So if the Muslims students have come to Wesley Girls High School and they don’t like the rules, they should quit,” Dr. Onguna noted.
He therefore stressed that his outfit will back the school authorities in their decision.
