The Ghana National Education Campaign Coalition (GNECC) has called for calm between the Wesley Girls High School and the Ghana Education Service (GES) over the right of a Muslim student to fast in school in the ongoing Ramadan.

“We believe that each party in their respective viewpoints do wish the best for the child concerned. But this can only be done in the midst of calm. History has shown that whenever decisions are made out of turbulence, other problems were given birth to,” it said.

The GNECC, which made the call in a statement copied to the Ghana News Agency, and signed by its Executive Council Chairman, Mr Joseph Atsu Homadzi, said it was also their concern that the School did not heed the GES directive.

That, the Coalition believed, might set a precedence for other schools to disregard the supervisory Agency in other matters.

“No matter how genuine their traditions and the welfare of the student they have at heart, we think they could dialogue a better solution before making a final verdict,” it said.

The Coalition said it believed there was the need for all stakeholders to seek guiding interpretations to the provisions of the 1992 Constitution, Article 14(1)(e), which indicates that “no person shall be deprived of their personal liberty/rights except: for the purpose of the education or welfare of a person who has not attained the age of eighteen years."

“It is on this premise that we of GNECC wish to call on all stakeholders, especially policymakers and implementers, to agree on developing national policies to serve as a guide to this issue and similar issues to ensure that all stakeholders adhere to the resolution in the best interest of the child,” it said.