By Benjamin Nii Nai Anyetei
Ghana has taken a bold step to strengthen peaceful coexistence and social cohesion in its education sector with the launch of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Managing Religious Diversity in Mission Schools.
Launching the MoU in Accra, the Minister for the Interior, Hon. Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, said the framework was not just about education but about “building a nation where differences become a source of strength, not division.” He stressed that respecting religious freedom within schools would contribute to the wider goal of national unity.
The initiative, developed by the Conference of Managers of Education Units (COMEU) with support from the National Peace Council (NPC), comes at a time when Ghana is seeking to consolidate its reputation as a global model for religious tolerance.
Most Rev. Emmanuel Kofi Fianu, Chairman of the NPC’s Governing Board, described the MoU as a practical instrument to prevent conflict and promote harmony. He noted that Ghana has historically managed religious diversity well but warned that “without structured interventions, tensions in schools could spill into society.”
Deputy Education Minister Hon. Clement Apaak highlighted that Ghana’s classrooms are microcosms of the country’s diversity, making them an essential place to teach values of inclusivity and tolerance. He pledged the Ministry’s full backing to ensure smooth implementation across mission schools.
The MoU, which was validated in 2024, provides clear guidelines for managing diversity in schools—from daily practices to dispute resolution—ensuring that no student is disadvantaged because of faith.
By embedding respect and inclusivity in education, stakeholders say the MoU will not only preserve the legacy of mission schools but also help safeguard Ghana’s peace and unity in the face of growing diversity.
