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10.08.2009 Education

Muslim students hint of discrimination

By myjoyonline
Sheikh Usman Nuhu Sharabutu, National Chief ImamSheikh Usman Nuhu Sharabutu, National Chief Imam
10.08.2009 LISTEN


The Ghana Muslims Students Association (GMSA) claims some of its members in some second-cycle institutions are being discriminated against.

The association says the authorities of public schools established by other religious bodies were exerting pressure on Muslim students to convert.

The situation, GMSA says is forcing Muslim students in such schools to drop out of school in order to avoid indoctrination.

GMSA Spokesperson, Mohammed Saani told Joy News the heads of the senior high schools in question were flagrantly violating provisions of the 1992 Constitution which guarantees freedom of worship.

He will not mention any school but calls on the president to intervene to avert a possible confrontation between students and school authorities.

A petition, he said, cataloguing cases of bias against Muslim students presented to the presidency was yet to receive attention.

He lamented the conversion of some Muslim girls, blaming it on pressure from school authorities.

Mr Saani also blamed Muslim leaders for not being proactive in addressing the issue.

Meanwhile a Muslim scholar, Sheikh Ishak Nuamah, has backed a proposal requesting the government to give Muslims an additional holiday for their festivities.

He however says instead of Id-ul-Fitr, the request should focus on extension for the Id-ul-Adha festival.

A committee to determine the start of the 30-day fasting (Ramadan), the Hilal Committee, appealed to the government to extend the one day holiday set aside for the end of Ramadan festival – Id-ul-Fitr – to two days because of difficulties in sighting the moon.

But Sheik Nuamah said the extension should rather be placed on the Id-ul-Adha celebration where animals are slaughtered and time is needed to do the distribution of the meat.

Story by Malik Abass Daabu/Myjoyonline/Ghana





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