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
- All Nations University College, Koforidua
- D.A College of Education, Asokore Koforidua
- Aburi Girls, Aburi
- Methodist Senior High, Koforidua
- Abuakwa State College, Kibi
- Adonten Senior High, Tafo
- Akwamuman Senior High, Akosombo
- Akwapiman Senior High
- Asamankese Senior High, Asamankese
- Asesewa Senior High, Asesewa
- Benkum Senior High, Akropong
- Asoum Senior High, Asuom
- Ghana Senior High, Koforidua
- Kade Senior High, Kade
- Kibi Senior High, Kibi
- Koforidua Senior Technical, Koforidua
- Kwabeng Senior High, Kwabeng
- Methodis Girls Senior High, Akropong
- New Juaben College of Commerce, Koforidua
- New Juaben Senior High, Koforidua
- Oda Senior High, Oda
- Oforipanin Senior High, Kukrantumi
- Osino Presbyterian Senior High, Osino
- Oti Boateng Senior High, Koforidua
- Oyoko Methodist Senior High, Oyoko
- Pope Johns Senior High, Koforidua
- St Stephen Senior High, Asiakwa
- Suhum Secondary Technical, Suhum
- Adeiso Presby Senior High, Adeiso
- P College of Education, Bimbilla
- Saboba St Joseph Secondary, Tamale
- Ideal Collge, Tamale
- St Charles Minor Seminar, Tamale
- Mfantsiman Girls
- Ahenkro Senior High
- Jukwa Senior High
- Swesbu Senior High
- St Francis Assisi Jirapa
- Wesley Girls, Accra
- Ghanata SHS
- St Johns Grammar SHS
- Accra High School
- Kinbu Sec/Tech School
- O’Reilly SHS
- Accra Girls’ SHS
- Odogonnor SHS
- Wesley Grammar SHS
- Ebenezer SHS
- Insaniyya SHS
- Ngleshie Amanfro SHS
- Accra Academy
- Ningo SHS
- Tema SHS
- Nungua SHS
- Ashiaman SHS
- Our Lady of Mercy SHS
- Chemu SHS
- Manhea SHS
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By: Godwin Allotey Akweiteh/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin