Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Shamima Muslim has called for calm and respectful dialogue on religious rights in mission schools, emphasising the importance of understanding Ghana’s educational history.
In a statement, she wrote: “Let dialogue and respect for one another lead. The conversations around mission schools reveal how much of our rich history many are yet to discover or choose to overlook. We need to understand how the history of colonial education policies manifests in today’s challenges.”
Highlighting historical disparities, she noted: “The first secondary school in Ghana, Mfantsipim, is 149 years old, established in 1876 by the colonial Methodist missionaries. The first secondary school in the entire Northern Region—Tamale Secondary School—was established by the British Colonial Authorities in 1951, making it 74 years old. The historical gaps in educational infrastructure across the country are neither the doing of today’s Christians nor Muslims.”
She warned against religious segregation in schools, stating: “To say that Christians should only attend mission schools and Muslims only attend Muslim schools misses the point and is a dangerous proposition for our national cohesion. This is not in line with the vision of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah through the boarding school system.”
Urging measured discussions, she added: “Let us put aside emotions and talk to each other as citizens, friends, and neighbours. When faced with difficult matters involving religious sentiments, let us be guided by the values of the same faiths we seek to protect—whether Muslim, Christian, Traditionalist, etc. God help us all.”
