The Ghana Muslim Students’ Association (GMSA) has taken strong exception to comments made by Supreme Court nominee Justice Hafisata Amaleboba during her recent vetting before Parliament’s Appointments Committee.
In a sharply worded statement, the Association warned that her position on religious expression within faith-based public schools threatens the constitutional guarantee of religious freedom.
During her appearance on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, Justice Amaleboba asserted that students who choose to attend faith-based schools do so voluntarily and are expected to respect the institutions’ codes of conduct. She argued that such expectations should not be seen as violations of rights or as acts of compulsion.
Responding on June 23, GMSA, in a statement signed by its National President, Tamim Mohammed Amin, acknowledged her nomination and lauded her contributions to national service but flagged her view as troubling.
While conceding that rights in law are not absolute, GMSA emphasized that “the right to religious freedom as guaranteed under Article 21(1)(c) of the 1992 Constitution is fundamental, inalienable, and must not be compromised—particularly in publicly funded institutions, including mission schools operating within the public education system.”
The Association rejected the notion that simply choosing a school equates to forfeiting one’s right to religious expression. “It is therefore insufficient to argue that a student has waived these rights merely by choosing a particular school, especially in regions where educational options may be limited,” the statement read.
GMSA contended that mission schools that receive public funding and operate under public regulation must uphold the constitutional rights of all students. It particularly called out the practice of mandatory church attendance for non-Christian pupils, labeling it as a breach of conscience and religious liberty.
“Voluntariness must be genuine and not constructed as a false choice between education and religious integrity. No Ghanaian child should be forcedeither directly or through institutional culture—to choose between accessing quality education and practicing their religion freely,” the Association stated.
The group urged the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service to publish clear, enforceable policy directives that affirm the secular and inclusive nature of public education. It also called on Parliament and the Judiciary to uphold religious rights across all legal and institutional frameworks.
Still, GMSA reaffirmed its readiness to engage in productive conversation. It expressed its commitment to constructive dialogue with all stakeholders to promote tolerance, peaceful coexistence, and constitutionalism in Ghana’s educational institutions.
Leave a Reply