The renewed conversation on religious rights follows a Supreme Court directive ordering Wesley Girls’ Senior High School to officially respond to allegations in a suit filed by private legal practitioner Shafic Osman. The suit claims the school prevents Muslim students from practising aspects of their faith.

Speaking on Channel One TV’s The Big Issue on Saturday, November 29, Prof. Appiagyei-Atua said schools must avoid imposing a particular religious identity on students, stressing the need for policies that promote inclusion.

He explained that while mission schools may have traditions rooted in their founding denominations, they also have a responsibility to ensure that students of other faiths can freely observe their fundamental religious obligations.

“Religion cannot be imposed. If you want people to come people into your institution, there are two reasons, either you want them to be exposed to the Methodist Faith or to give them the education that will be able to make them stand on their two feet to contribute to the development of the society. At the end of the day that balancing act should make sure that there are certain practices on campus that the non-Christian members should take part in.

“But also, when it comes to certain specific fundamental practices of the non-Christians. They should also be given some room so that through that they will be able to create tolerance and respect for each other’s freedoms,” he stated.