Mission schools shouldn't dilute their identity - CenPOA

The Center for Public Opinion and Awareness (CenPOA) has criticised Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu’s recent comments on alleged religious discrimination in mission schools in Ghana, stressing that these institutions should not be forced to compromise their founding Christian identity.

The organisation said the Minister’s remarks oversimplify a complex issue and risk stirring unnecessary tension between the government and faith-based educational institutions.

In a statement dated November 26, 2025, signed by Michael Donyina Mensah, Executive Director of CenPOA, the organisation noted that the Minister’s concerns, particularly those referencing Wesley Girls’ Senior High School, fail to acknowledge the historical foundations and contributions of mission schools in Ghana.

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The group stated that these schools were built by Christian missions long before independence, during a period when access to formal education was scarce.

According to the organization, the Methodist, Catholic, Presbyterian, Anglican and other denominations established these schools with their own resources, guided by a dual mission, to provide academic instruction and to promote moral and spiritual development rooted in Christian values.

“While we appreciate the Minister’s concern for the rights of students, CenPOA believes that his comments overlook the historical foundations, purpose, and contributions of Ghana’s missionary schools, and risk creating unnecessary tension between the State and faith-based educational institutions,” part of the statement read.

CenPOA argued that this faith-based framework has always been central to the identity and daily life of mission schools.

CenPOA pointed out that it was the churches themselves that opened the doors to students from all religious backgrounds, an example, they said, of inclusion rather than discrimination.

The organisation believes that current expectations for mission schools to adjust or dilute their religious identity in order to accommodate every religious practice on campus are historically inaccurate and unfair.

“Mission schools were never intended to be multi-faith arenas. Their ethos, routines, and daily life revolve around their Christian foundation. Expecting them to abandon or alter this identity because non-Christian students now attend undermines both their purpose and their heritage,” the statement continued.

CenPOA stressed that mission schools, were never designed to operate as multi-faith spaces but rather as institutions grounded in Christian principles.

They argued that requiring these schools to alter their beliefs because they now admit students of different faiths undermines their purpose and heritage.

For students or parents seeking schools that fully align with their personal religious practices, CenPOA said there are many public, non-mission institutions where diverse religious expressions are already accepted.

The group also rejected the notion that mission schools are violating human rights by maintaining their religious character, calling the claim misleading and dismissive of the extensive contributions churches have made to Ghana’s education system.

CenPOA urged the Ministry of Education to prioritise consultation and collaboration rather than issuing pronouncements that could inflame the debate.

The statement called on government, mission school authorities, parents and other stakeholders to work together to develop practical solutions that respect both the constitutional rights of students and the religious identity of mission-founded schools.

“We urge the Ministry of Education to engage in consultation rather than unilateral declarations, and to recognize that educational choice, including the choice of a faith-based environment, is central to the holistic development of Ghana’s children,” the statement added.

Read the full statement below:



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