Mr. Michael Nsowah, former Director of the Ghana Education Service (GES), has suggested that certain rules must be made known to students before their admission.
Speaking on the issue of Wesley Girls Senior High School not allowing Muslim students to fast during this month of Ramadan, he averred that students have the right to fast so far as it does not interfere with their academic activities.
Mr. Nsowah suggested that if the Methodist church wants such rules to be played out then it must be inclusive in the school’s rules to inform students before they are admitted.
“It should be part of the rules which are given to students at the entry. They should also be aware that the constitution gives everybody the opportunity to attend any school of their choice and also guarantee that they will not be forced to change their faith.”
Michael Nsowah
The former GES Director was of the view that so far as the students are of age to fast, they should not be restricted. He made reference to students in other schools who are being allowed to fast by indicating that it can be done in Wesley Girls too.
“We have catholic schools headed by Reverend fathers and we have not heard any of them stopping anyone from fasting. Assuming that in some of the Methodist schools, some of the children have been fasting and arrangements have been made for them, why then doesn’t it apply to all the other Methodist schools.”
Michael Nsowah
Don’t use health as an excuse
Touching on the school’s response that the health condition of the students is of great concern, he accepted that medical conditions arise when the they fast.
Notwithstanding, he noted it should not be an excuse to prevent the students from fasting.
“If we are to say because they are underage because it falls in line with Islamic teaching then of course they are justified. But they should not give excuses that the children always fall sick. All the secondary schools where Muslim students have been admitted, if they are of age, they undergo fasting during Ramadan.”
Michael Nsowah
After the issue came to limelight, GES gave a directive to the authorities of the Wesley Girls High School;and other schools to allow Muslim students fast for any religious reason.
The parents of any such student, it said, were also directed to write to the school indicating that the school shall not be held liable for any health condition of the student as a result of the fasting.
However, in a statement, the church said it took a strong exception to the directive;stressing that it cannot accede to the unilateral directive issued by the Ghana Education Service.
It insisted that the Ghana Education Service respects the long-standing partnership between Government and Mission Schools.
It argued that the school rule in question “is a long-standing one which is also non-religious;and various renowned Muslim ladies in Ghana have passed through the school adhering to such a rule.”
