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Safeguard religious rights ofstudents – CRI urges studentsBy Spectator Reporter
CHILD Rights International (CRI) is urging the government to adopt a firm and comprehensive national policy to safeguard the religious rights of students in secondary schools, insisting that no child should be denied education or the freedom to express their faith.
In a statement issued on Thursday in Accra, the organisation said the recent controversy involving Wesley Girls’ Senior High School highlights deep-seated gaps in how children’s rights were upheld within the country’s long-standing educational structures.
According to CRI, the incident underscores the need for Ghana to reassess the relationship between school traditions and the constitutional rights of students.
The group emphasised that the right to education and the right to religious expression were fundamental, and must be reflected consistently in rules and practices across all schools.
Additionally, CRI noted that many well-known mission institutions such as Holy Child School and St. Louis Senior High School operate on religious foundations that have shaped their administrative cultures for decades.
These differ significantly from state-established schools like Ghana Senior High School in Koforidua, Tamale Senior High School and Achimota Senior High School.
This contrast, CRI argued, raises an important national question and what policy framework has guided these mission schools since their incorporation into the public system?
Although the government has declared all such schools secular, they continue to function as government-assisted institutions, maintaining a hybrid structure that leaves them neither fully autonomous nor entirely under the Ghana Education Service (GES).
This unclear arrangement has led to inconsistent rules on discipline, conduct and religious expression from one school to another.
CRI warned that the absence of a unified and enforceable national policy leaves significant gaps in the protection of children’s rights.
While rights may be universal, the group emphasised that their protection depends on strong and clearly defined state regulations.
The organisation further stated that the State has yet to assume full regulatory authority over the schools it supports financially. As a result, key administrative and disciplinary decisions often remain at the discretion of individual school authorities, creating uneven standards nationwide.
For the rights of children, particularly their right to practise their religion to be fully realised, CRI believes the government must move toward full regulatory ownership of all schools it funds or classifies as public.
Without this, tensions between deeply rooted school traditions and constitutional freedoms are likely to persist.
The statement stressed that once a school admits a student, it takes responsibility not only for their academic development but also for respecting their identity, including their religious background. Therefore, no child, CRI insists, should be prevented from practicing their faith within the school environment.
Moreover, the organisation called for the establishment of clear national standards that guide schools on accommodating religious expression without compromising discipline or institutional order.
It also urged the government to strengthen safeguarding systems with firm oversight and routine monitoring to ensure that children’s rights are protected based on national law, not historical customs or administrative discretion.
CRI admonished the government to clarify the official status of government-assisted mission schools to ensure that the rights of all students are upheld consistently across the country.
By Spectator Reporter
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Avoid Johannesburg CBD unless travel there is necessary – Ghana’s High Commission in South Africa
Ghana’s High Commission in South Africa has urged Ghanaians to take note of a significant protest currently taking place in the Johannesburg Central Business District (CBD) today, Wednesday, 29 April 2026 by the March and March over unemployment and undocumented foreign nationals.
According to them, this has already led to major traffic disruptions and interruptions to normal business activities in the CBD
Given the nature of the protest, the High Commission noted that there is a heightened risk of tension, particularly toward foreign nationals.
“Please advise all to exercise caution throughout the day. It is advisable to avoid the Johannesburg CBD unless travel there is absolutely necessary. Those who live in Johannesburg are urged to remain indoors or in secure locations and limit unnecessary movement,” It stated.
Additionally, they added that “Members of the community should also be reminded not to engage with protesters under any circumstances, even if approached or provoked, and to prioritize their personal safety at all times. Carrying valid identification and relevant documentation is essential.”
Ghanaians in South Africa have been urged to stay in close communication “with members of our community and check in on individuals who may be particularly vulnerable. Parents and guardians should ensure that children remain in safe environments and avoid travel through affected areas.”
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
An aide to former Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, Dennis Miracles Aboagye, has criticised the government over ongoing power outages, urging authorities to prioritise solutions instead of explanations.
His comments come in response to recent remarks by Energy Minister John Abdulai Jinapor regarding challenges in the power sector.
Speaking on the issue on Channel One TV, Mr. Aboagye questioned the government’s justification that ongoing transformer upgrades and system expansions are responsible for the outages.
He argued that such maintenance work has been carried out in the past without causing widespread disruption.
He said the situation does not make sense, insisting that it is possible to upgrade infrastructure without plunging the entire country into darkness.
According to him, Ghanaians are more concerned about having stable electricity than listening to explanations.
“Your talking means nothing to us. Give us power,” he said.
Mr. Aboagye added that the power situation is affecting lives and livelihoods across the country.
He claimed that businesses are shutting down, people are losing their jobs, and some lives are being put at risk due to the outages.
He pointed to rising costs, noting that consumers are paying more for electricity despite the unstable supply.
The former Vice President’s aide further criticised the government for what he described as a lack of respect for citizens, saying the focus should be on delivering reliable power rather than assigning blame.
By: Jacob Aggrey
