Tension is mounting at St Vincent College of Education in the Northern Region following attempts to compel Muslim students to attend morning devotion.

Muslim students have refused to attend week day devotion arguing they cannot be forced to accept and practice a doctrine which is at variance with the Islamic religion.

Some of them who spoke to Joy News’ Northern Regional Correspondent, Martina Bugri said they would resist attempts to pressurise them to practice Christianity.

“The principal is forcing us to attend the morning devotion [when] we have already devoted ourselves to Islam and there is no way we will do it,” one student said.

“We are not saying we will not go, but the manner it is organised is what we don’t like,” another said.

“If he makes it once a week we will come, but every day [and] they will sing Christian songs,” the student added.

But College Principal, Dr Erasmus Novio Moti says the request by the students to be excused from the devotions is untenable.

Although attendance of Sunday service is not compulsory for Muslim students, he said week day services are a must for every student.

Dr Novio Moti said he has discussed the position of the school on the matter with some officials of the Muslim Council from Accra, adding nothing has changed.

“Monday to Friday’s gathering is compulsory [because] it makes it easy to meet the student body when there is emergency,” he said.

“We cannot allow them to attend when they feel like doing,” he said, adding it makes easy for us to reach the students and give out any information we want to.