Frimpong-Manso Institute Urges Calm in SHS Religious Freedom Debate

The Frimpong-Manso Institute (FMI) has called for restraint and calm among all stakeholders involved in the escalating national debate over religious freedom of worship in Senior High Schools (SHSs).

In a statement released today, the institute expressed grave concern regarding the intense nature of the public discourse surrounding religious freedom and tolerance within the country’s secondary education system.

”We caution the extreme flanks of the debate to be extra cautious in order not to stoke up religious tensions and derail the culture of peaceful coexistence among people of all faiths,” the statement read.
Emphasis on Tolerance and Unity
FMI underscored that religious tolerance has been “key to national unity and peace in Ghana from time immemorial,” and that this spirit of tolerance must continue to be the “glue that holds us together and not tear us apart.”

The institute specifically addressed the role of the media, urging practitioners to “tone down divisive rhetoric” and instead promote “peaceful comments and resolution of the issue.”
FMI called for a practice of “solutions-oriented journalism” from both traditional media journalists and social media activists during “these trying moments.”
Citing 2024 MOU as a Middle Ground
To help resolve the conflict, FMI referenced the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) agreed upon and adopted in 2024 by Government-assisted and private mission schools.

The institute highlighted that the MOU specifically mandates mission schools to show a culture of tolerance, inclusivity, and cooperation, even while maintaining the vision and mission of their respective religious bodies.
”This, we believe, provides a middle ground to settle any conflict and put the nation firmly back on the path of inter-faith harmony, durable peace, and unshakable unity,” FMI emphasized.