The Christian Apologetic Alliance (CAA) on September 3 rejected demands that mission schools modify their Christian character to accommodate Muslim and other non‑Christian students. The group argued that while individuals may practice their faith, that freedom does not extend to redesigning an institution founded on a different religious identity. It emphasized that mission schools were established on clear Christian values and that worship practices, discipline and traditions are integral to their identity.
In its statement, the CAA noted that religious tolerance must be distinguished from institutional identity. “Religious freedom protects the individual; it does not automatically confer upon the individual the right to redesign an institution founded upon a different religious identity,” the group said. It urged students to respect the rules and practices of the schools they attend, regardless of their faith backgrounds.
The Alliance also dismissed the argument that public funding of mission schools should require them to abandon or modify their Christian character. It warned that using government support to dismantle the historical identity of mission schools would set a dangerous precedent. The CAA called on the government, the Ghana Education Service, churches, school authorities, parents and students to protect what it described as the historic and distinctive character of mission schools.
While affirming that Muslims have the right to practice their faith, the Alliance stressed that Christians have an equal right to maintain Christian institutions. “No religious group should seek to transform another religious institution into something it was never established to be,” the statement added. It cautioned Ghana against prolonged disputes over religious accommodation, citing developments in Nigeria as a warning.
