Seventy-three Muslim students at the St. Vincent College of Education in Yendi, Northern Region, have been punished for failing to attend morning devotion.
This resulted in the destroying of examination materials and vandalizing of school properties by some affected students.
They were asked to weed around the school football field for displaying an act of insubordination.
Information available to this paper indicates that examinations had been suspended until the punishment had been executed by the students.
According to the Muslim students, they thought they were being forced to practise Christianity with the continued morning devotion in the school, which they claimed is done throughout the week.
They indicated that they had devoted themselves to Islam and that the everyday devotion is an attempt to drag them into Christianity.
However they told DAILY GUIDE that they do not have a problem if the religious exercise is carried out once a week saying, “It’s everyday and they make us sing Christian songs and all that.”
When DAILY GUIDE contacted the Principal, Dr. Erasmus Novio Moti, he confirmed the incident but quickly said that the students were punished for failing to be part of the assembly.
According to him, they refused to do the punishment and so the school authorities decided not to allow them write their examination.
Dr. Erasmus Novio Moti hinted that the said students rather went and vandalized examination papers of other students.
“Instead of them addressing their concerns through the right procedure, they decided to take the law into their own hands,” the principal stated.
He disclosed that the Monday to Friday assembly is compulsory for all students, irrespective of their religious affiliations.
“The position of the school on the matter has been discussed with some officials of the Muslim Council from Accra,” he indicated.
The Municipal Chief Executive and the District Education Director are said to have intervened on behalf of the students, but insisted that they should do the punishment before they are allowed to write the exams.
Source: Daily Guide
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I think College of education students should be treated like adults or as tertiary students
This is the time information and announcements are disseminate so don't hide behind it as being religious and be truants. This has been in existence for centuries and there has been no issues. The students must be punished and must not be allowed to hide behind religion. We have been in schools with our Muslims brothers and sisters in Ghana and nothing of such happened. This is just someone trying to be indiscipline. That's it!!!
I think this religious thing is confusing in the sense that the Muslims should have known what Christian schools do before choosing their schools. I don't think it's proper for them to make laws for the Christian schools and i don't understand why Christian schools admit them only for them to cause trouble. To avoid trouble stop admitting them that's all,after all they can't force you to take them because they are not ready to obey your rules and regulations. I don't understand why it is so these days,before even we who didn't go to mission schools muslim students were not allowed to have their way,it's either you obey school rules or you leave. If they can't obey Christian schools rules they don't get admitted to avoid all these. Nobody is forcing them to choose Christian schools,to avoid trouble don't admit them,there are so many government schools they can go and have their freedom. Christian schools are strictly Christianity and must be observed. Imagine a Muslim going to a Catholic school in America and trying to make rules eeeeeeiii! Hahahahaha.They need to understand if they can't take Christianity rules don't go to their schools,that's all for peace to prevail.