Distinguished leaders, respected elders, dear brothers and sisters in Christ, and fellow citizens of Ghana,
I stand before you today not in anger, and not in fear, but with a deep sense of responsibility, for our children, for our institutions, and for the future of faith-based education in our nation.
In recent times, the discussion surrounding Wesley Girls’ High School has stirred strong emotions across Ghana.
People have spoken passionately about religious freedom, constitutional rights, and fairness.
These are important matters, and they deserve to be discussed with wisdom and humility.
However, as we engage in this national conversation, we must also speak truthfully and remember our history.
Mission schools did not appear by accident.
They were born out of sacrifice, prayer, and vision. Long before the state became involved in education, the Church stepped forward to educate the mind and shape character.
These schools were established not only to produce brilliant students but also disciplined, God-fearing leaders who would serve society with integrity.
Wesley Girls’ High School, like many mission institutions, has built its reputation on academic excellence, moral discipline, and Christian values.
The current debate is not about rejecting anyone’s faith.
It is about a deeper question: Can a faith-based institution remain true to its identity in a religiously diverse society?
Let us be clear. Government support does not mean government ownership.
Mission schools remain the property and responsibility of the churches that founded them.
State partnership was meant to strengthen education, not redefine the spiritual DNA of these institutions.
Our Constitution guarantees freedom of religion, and rightly so.
But freedom of religion does not mean freedom to transform the core identity of a faith-based institution. When parents and students choose a mission school, they also choose its traditions, values, and discipline.
This understanding has helped Ghana live in peace for generations.
We must also ask an honest question: Would other faith-based institutions easily accept practices that contradict their core beliefs?
Across the world, religious institutions are respected when they maintain their identity.
True tolerance does not erase differences; it respects boundaries.
Beloved, history teaches us that institutions rarely lose their values overnight.
They lose them gradually, through silence, hesitation, and fear of speaking truth. That is why the Church must be vigilant, informed, and courageous.
Defending Christian values in mission schools is not an act of exclusion.
It is an affirmation of purpose.
And this defense must be done in love, with humility, and with open hearts for dialogue, reflecting the character of Christ Himself.
This moment is not a call for division, but for clarity. Mission schools must remain places where faith, discipline, and academic excellence walk together. These values do not weaken Ghana; they strengthen her.
May we speak wisely, act justly, and preserve what generations before us built with prayer and sacrifice, for the sake of generations yet unborn.
A concise look at policies, challenges, and solutions for maintaining the identity of mission schools within Ghana education system.
God bless our mission schools.
God bless the Church.
And God bless our beloved nation, Ghana.
By Rev. Dr. Kwame Bediako Asiama
Theologian | Pastor | Christian Educator
