Methodist Church Responds to Supreme Court Suit Over Wesley Girls’ High School

The Methodist Church Ghana, proprietors of Wesley Girls’ High School (WGHS), says it is taking steps to obtain official records of a Supreme Court suit filed against the school, even though it has not yet been formally notified.

The case, Shafic Osman v. The Board of Governors, Attorney-General & Ghana Education Service, challenges aspects of the school’s practices, which the plaintiff claims amount to discriminatory treatment in a government-assisted institution.

In a statement, the Church said it had begun processes to gather full documentation on the matter to enable its legal team to respond appropriately and protect the Church’s interests.

Reaffirming Wesley Girls’ longstanding values

Addressing public debate surrounding the issue, the Methodist Church strongly rejected claims that Wesley Girls’ High School—established in 1836—is a “public school” engaged in discrimination against students of other faiths.

The Church emphasized that since its founding by Harriet Wrigley, WGHS has maintained a mission of developing the girl-child holistically—training the head, heart, and hand—without regard to race, creed, religion, or background. Students over the past 189 years have included Methodists, Muslims, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Adventists, Catholics, Buddhists, Hindus, Eckists, atheists, agnostics, and many others.

According to the statement, it was this strong tradition of discipline, moral formation, and academic excellence that prompted the Government of Ghana in the early 1960s to offer assistance to mission schools. That partnership, the Church stressed, has never changed the Methodist character of Wesley Girls’.

“The Methodist Church Ghana considers discrimination to be fundamentally inconsistent with Christian teaching, and therefore incompatible with our mission,” the statement read.

School traditions and constitutional guarantees

The Church noted that WGHS openly maintains its Christian identity—as permitted by the 1992 Constitution—and expects admitted students to respect its traditions and established framework, which exist to promote unity, discipline, uniformity, and shared experience.

It warned that creating parallel systems to accommodate separate routines for students of different faith groups—such as separate eating or living arrangements—would undermine cohesion and lead to segregation.

MOU guiding faith practices in mission schools

The statement highlighted an April 15, 2024 Memorandum of Understanding developed by the Conference of Managers of Education Units (COMEU), with facilitation from the National Peace Council. Signatories included major Christian denominations, the Office of the National Chief Imam, Ahmadiyya Mission, and other religious bodies.

The MOU outlines a framework for harmonious coexistence in mission schools, and the Methodist Church says Wesley Girls’ has fully adhered to its terms.

The Church also expressed appreciation for recent public statements by the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference, Christian Council of Ghana, Anglican Church, and other ecumenical groups supporting dialogue on the matter.

Commitment to peace and mutual respect

Reiterating its century-old commitment to sound moral and academic training, the Methodist Church assured the public that its values of fairness, respect, and nondiscrimination remain intact.

“The Methodist Church Ghana remains committed to dialogue and collaboration with all relevant stakeholders to ensure peace, understanding, and mutual respect among all faiths and traditions,” the statement concluded.

 

 

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