GPCC Calls for Constructive Dialogue to Address Religious Faith in Schools

Accra: The Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC) has called for a constructive dialogue with representatives from the Christian mission schools to amicably address religious faiths in their institutions. The Council emphasized the importance of collaborative efforts to ensure that policies upheld the educational mission and values of these institutions while creating space for individuals to practice their religious beliefs. According to Ghana News Agency, a statement signed by Apostle Dr. Eric K. Nyamekye, President of GPCC, highlighted the Council's engagement with the ongoing national discourse regarding religious practices in Christian mission schools, particularly focusing on Wesley Girls Senior High School. The statement stressed the need to manage Ghana's pluralistic and diverse religious landscape with care, respect, and adherence to the nation's constitution. The Council advocated for recognition and respect for the rights of Christian mission schools to maintain their religious identity , ethos, values, and traditions. It also highlighted the constitutional rights of students to freedom of religious association, urging parents to choose schools that align with their religious expectations for their children. The statement from the GPCC also called for clear national guidelines to protect both institutions and individuals, citing Articles 17(2), 21(1), and 25(1) of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana as foundational to the rights of individuals and institutions to practice their religion without discrimination. The Council emphasized that while no student should be forced to abandon their faith, religious freedoms must be exercised with mutual respect and adherence to institutional norms. Furthermore, the statement noted that Christian mission schools are mission-owned but state-supported, and it called for a balance between institutional autonomy and individual religious expressions to ensure Ghana's social fabric remains strong with peaceful coexistence of diverse beliefs.