Wesley Girls Senior High School (SHS) has been sued for allegedly suppressing the religious rights of Muslim students by preventing them from practicing their faith while attending the institution.
The lawsuit, filed by Shafic Osman, a Ghanaian citizen, accuses the renowned public school of enforcing policies that systematically deny Muslim students the ability to observe their religious practices.
The plaintiff is seeking multiple declarations from the court, including that Wesley Girls SHS’s policy of prohibiting Islamic beliefs and practices is unconstitutional.
“A declaration that the 1st defendant’s policy compelling and requiring the practice of a compulsory school religion in a public school is contrary to and inconsistent with Articles 21(1)(b)(c) and Article 26 of the 1992 Constitution,” the lawsuit states.
Additionally, Osman contends that the school’s restrictions on Muslim students infringe on their welfare and violate international human rights standards for children.
He further seeks “a declaration that the limitations on Muslim students in the 1st defendant school undermine the welfare of Muslim students under international human rights of the child cognizable under Article 33(5) of the constitution of Ghana, 1992.”
The lawsuit also demands an order directing the Ghana Education Service (GES) to establish constitutionally compliant guidelines for the regulation of religious practices in all public schools across Ghana.
This legal action reignites longstanding debates about religious freedom in Ghana’s educational institutions and calls into question the balance between institutional policies and constitutional rights.
