Don’t force Muslim students to worship in churches – Muslim MPs

The Muslim Caucus in Parliament has petitioned the National Peace Council over what they describe as discrimination against Muslim students across the country.

[contextly_sidebar id=”JYIkr2684WPnlYnuBbUarQdzj2W1qGHf”]The Muslim Caucus in Parliament petitioned the National Peace Council over the issue on Wednesday.

They condemned the practice in the schools while insisting that muslim students should not be forced to attend church services or any other religious activities in all schools including Christian ones.

“We however observed with worry that the actions of some particular individuals and groups charged with the responsibility of managing public schools and institutions in the country, if not checked may give room to persons of equal character in other religious faiths to take advantage to disturb the peace we enjoy in our beloved country,” the petition by the Muslim caucus in Parliament said.

The petition explained that the Muslim MPs are not against the worship of God but “we are certainly not happy to see Muslim students in public schools in which Muslims have a vested interest as citizens and tax payers being compelled to worship in a manner other than what they believe in. In some extreme cases, Muslim students or workers are being punished or dehumanized for what they believe in.”

“The Muslim Caucus is equally determined to nip in the bud, any attempt or action of any individual or group…to disrupt the peace and harmony currently being enjoyed by the good people of Ghana,” they added.

They however pleaded with the Peace Council to intervene in the issue since all attempts to have the practice stopped have proved futile.

According to Ghana’s 1992 constitution, Ghana is a secular state with a majority Christian population and public spaces are usually dominated by Christian practices.

And with public basic and high schools founded on christian principles, all students including Muslims and non-religious ones are usually made to attend church services on Sundays and other set days.

In some schools, however, Muslims students are allowed to observe their practices alongside the Christian students.

This is not the first time this issue has been raised by the Muslim community in Ghana.

Meanwhile, the Muslim community in the Western Region has planned  to demonstrate today [Friday] to protest against the same issue describing it as “human right abuses of Muslims in the country.”

One of the organizers of the demonstration, Mohammed Kamiru Balla told Citi News that  they “have had enough of the human rights abuses,” because some Muslim students in second cycle institutions are forced to attend church service, a situation he described as unacceptable.

Petition: 58 schools that allegedly organize compulsory church services for Muslim students

1. All Nations University College, Koforidua
2. D.A College of Education, Asokore Koforidua
3. Aburi Girls, Aburi
4. Methodist Senior High, Koforidua
5. Abuakwa State College, Kibi
6. Adonten Senior High, Tafo
7. Akwamuman Senior High, Akosombo
8. Akwapiman Senior High
9. Asamankese Senior High, Asamankese
10. Asesewa Senior High, Asesewa
11. Benkum Senior High, Akropong
12. Asoum Senior High, Asuom
13. Ghana Senior High, Koforidua
14. Kade Senior High, Kade
15. Kibi Senior High, Kibi
16. Koforidua Senior Technical, Koforidua
17. Kwabeng Senior High, Kwabeng
18. Methodis Girls Senior High, Akropong
19. New Juaben College of Commerce, Koforidua
20. New Juaben Senior High, Koforidua
21. Oda Senior High, Oda
22. Oforipanin Senior High, Kukrantumi
23. Osino Presbyterian Senior High, Osino
24. Oti Boateng Senior High, Koforidua
25. Oyoko Methodist Senior High, Oyoko
26. Pope Johns Senior High, Koforidua
27. St Stephen Senior High, Asiakwa
28. Suhum Secondary Technical, Suhum
29. Adeiso Presby Senior High, Adeiso
30. P College of Education, Bimbilla
31. Saboba St Joseph Secondary, Tamale
32. Ideal Collge, Tamale
33. St Charles Minor Seminar, Tamale
34. Mfantsiman Girls
35. Ahenkro Senior High
36. Jukwa Senior High
37. Swesbu Senior High
38. St Francis Assisi Jirapa
39. Wesley Girls, Accra
40. Ghanata SHS
41. St Johns Grammar SHS
42. Accra High School
43. Kinbu Sec/Tech School
44. O’Reilly SHS
45. Accra Girls’ SHS
46. Odogonnor SHS
47. Wesley Grammar SHS
48. Ebenezer SHS
49. Insaniyya SHS
50. Ngleshie Amanfro SHS
51. Accra Academy
52. Ningo SHS
53. Tema SHS
54. Nungua SHS
55. Ashiaman SHS
56. Our Lady of Mercy SHS
57. Chemu SHS
58. Manhea SHS

–

By: Godwin Allotey Akweiteh/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin