The Ministry of Education has clarified that the new directive making the use of Ghanaian languages compulsory as a medium of instruction applies only to Kindergarten through Primary Three, and not the entire basic school system.
This follows public debate over Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu’s announcement on Friday, October 24 that the use of mother tongue in teaching had been made compulsory in all Ghanaian schools.
The Minister, speaking at the launch of the Free Tertiary Education Programme for Persons with Disability at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) on October 24, said the move aligns with President John Dramani Mahama’s education reform and research agenda aimed at strengthening foundational literacy and learning outcomes across the country.
He directed the Ghana Education Service (GES) to ensure strict nationwide enforcement of the policy.
However, the announcement has sparked public debate with amid mixed interpretations.
However, speaking at the launch of the Foundational Learning Action Tracker at the Accra College of Education, Deputy Education Minister Clement Apaak has moved to clarify its scope.
Dr. Apaak explained that the directive covers only the early years of education, not as interpreted on the media.
Dr. Apaak said, “The Honourable Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has asked me to clarify that the policy directive he announced on Friday regarding the compulsory use of mother tongue as a medium of instruction in our public basic schools is confined, emphasis, confined to KG up to primary three. In other words, KG and lower primary,” Dr. Apaak stated.
The clarification, according to the ministry, is intended to ensure smooth implementation of the language policy and prevent misinterpretations that could affect teaching and learning across different grade levels.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
