Renowned US-based Ghanaian lawyer and scholar, Prof Stephen Kwaku Asare, has challenged a reported assertion by the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Dr. Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, that Wesley Girls’ Senior High School did nothing wrong by barring its Muslim student from wearing hijab and fasting during Ramadan.
In a post shared on Facebook on November 15, 2025, Prof Kwaku Asare, who is widely known as Kwaku Azar, refuted assertions that Wesley Girls’ had every right to impose the teachings of the Methodist Church on its students.
He argued that the school is a public entity and cannot implement policies that are discriminatory in nature, adding that such “heritage and doctrines” do not conform to the 1992 Constitution of Ghana.
“Wesley Girls is no longer a Methodist private school. It is a public school, fully under the Government of Ghana. And once a school becomes public, the Constitution takes the front seat, not denominational tradition.
“A public school cannot: privilege one religion over others; suppress the practices of minority faiths; or enforce rules rooted in a specific religious doctrine against students who do not share that faith. That would violate Articles 17 (non-discrimination), 21(1)(c) (freedom of religion), and Article 12 (rights guaranteed to ALL persons).”
He added, “Our mission schools did not become great because they suppressed diversity. They became great because they embraced discipline, excellence, and respect for every child who walked through their gates. So if we want to invoke ‘tradition,’ let’s invoke the traditions of tolerance, dignity, and of allowing every student – Christian, Muslim, traditionalist, or none – to feel safe and valued.”
AG justifies Wesley Girls’ religious policies in response to Supreme Court suit
What Dr Ayine reportedly said:
The Attorney General filed a formal response to a Supreme Court suit challenging what plaintiffs describe as discriminatory religious policies at Wesley Girls’ Senior High School.
In his response, the Attorney General dismissed claims that the school is acting unlawfully, insisting that Wesley Girls’ SHS, founded and operated by the Methodist Church of Ghana, is permitted to enforce rules consistent with its Methodist principles.
According to a report by adomonline.com on November 24, 2025, he argued that the school’s faith-based identity grants it the authority to establish standards on religious conduct within the school environment, even where such standards limit the expression of other religious practices.
The suit was filed on December 24, 2024, by private legal practitioner Shafic Osman under the Supreme Court’s original jurisdiction, invoking Articles 2(1)(b) and 130(1)(a) of the 1992 Constitution.
It centres on allegations that Muslim students are barred from wearing the hijab, fasting during Ramadan, and observing other Islamic rites – actions the plaintiff says violate constitutional guarantees of freedom of religion.
The plaintiff is seeking multiple declarations, including a ruling that the school’s policy of compelling students to practise a compulsory school religion in a public institution contravenes Articles 21(1)(b)(c) and 26 of the 1992 Constitution.
He further contends that the restrictions conflict with international human rights standards recognised under Article 33(5).
In addition to the declarations, the plaintiff wants the court to direct the Ghana Education Service to develop constitutional guidelines to regulate religious practices across all public schools.
Source: GhanaWeb
