The Ministry of Education has moved to address public concerns and questions from parents, educators, and other stakeholders over the government’s new language policy for basic schools.
In a press statement, the Ministry clarified that foreign languages, including Chinese, Arabic, and French, will not be compulsory subjects or used as the medium of instruction for young learners.
The statement, signed by the Press Secretary to the Minister of Education, Hashmin Mohammed, dismissed claims that the upcoming basic school curriculum review would require pupils in the lower primary to study in any of these foreign languages.
According to the Ministry, the revised curriculum places greater emphasis on Ghanaian languages as the foundation for early childhood education rather than on foreign language instruction.
Under the new framework, Ghanaian languages will serve as the exclusive and compulsory medium of instruction from Kindergarten to Primary Three.
The Ministry explained that the policy is intended to strengthen foundational literacy, numeracy, and cognitive development by teaching children in the languages they understand best during their formative years.
From Primary Four to Primary Six, schools will adopt a transitional bilingual approach that combines Ghanaian languages with English to prepare pupils for higher levels of education.
The Ministry further stressed that French, Arabic, and Chinese will remain optional subjects. According to the statement, these languages will only be introduced at the later stages of basic education and will be offered based on the availability of qualified teachers and learning resources in individual schools.
Addressing the concerns, Minister for Education Haruna Iddrisu explained that the key reform under the revised curriculum is the prioritisation of Ghanaian languages at the foundational level while reducing early dependence on English.
The Minister noted that global educational research consistently shows that children achieve better learning outcomes, stronger analytical reasoning, and improved retention when taught in their mother tongue during their early years.
The Ministry said references to foreign languages in the curriculum documents had created confusion, leading some stakeholders to mistakenly believe that Chinese, Arabic, and French would become compulsory for pupils in the lower primary.
It said the clarification is intended to reassure the public and redirect attention to the curriculum’s primary objective of strengthening early literacy and learning through Ghanaian languages.
