GhArticles.com Every News in Detail
A member of the legal team challenging Wesley Girls’ Senior High School over restrictions on Islamic practice, Hamza Suhuyini, has clarified that the case before the Supreme Court is purely about constitutional rights and not a religious battle between Islam and Christianity.
Speaking on Channel One TV’s Breakfast Daily on Wednesday, November 26, he cautioned the public against sensationalising the issue. According to him, the central question is whether the school’s actions violate the 1992 Constitution and the fundamental human rights of Muslim students.
He noted that the case seeks to establish whether mission schools, despite being government-assisted, are public institutions under the law. “When the Supreme Court decides, the government of the day will honour and respect the decision. This is not a contest between Islam and Christianity. The premise of the case is not religion,” he said.
Hamza emphasised that many public comments misinterpret the matter due to its religious context, but the legal basis remains clear. “If you approach it with sensationalism, you are likely to conclude that the premise is religion, but in truth, the premise of the case is simply on fundamental human rights and interpretation of our laws.”
The core issue, he stressed, is whether Wesley Girls’ SHS acted unconstitutionally by restricting Muslim students from practising their faith, and whether such students have the right to freely observe their religion in any senior high school across the country.
“Religion is just a subset. We are in court simply based on the 1992 Constitution, and that point needs to be made strongly,” he added.
The matter resurfaced after the Supreme Court directed Wesley Girls’ SHS to respond to allegations in a suit filed by private legal practitioner Shafic Osman, who claims the school prevents Muslim students from observing aspects of their faith.
