The Ministry of Education has confirmed that English has not been dropped as the language of instruction in Ghanaian basic schools.
This follows concerns over the Ministry’s directive for schools to use the mother tongue for pupils from KG to primary three.
In a statement signed and issued by Dr. Clement Apaak, Deputy Minister for Education, on Thursday, October 30, the Ministry emphasised that the policy of using children’s home languages alongside English is long-standing, dating back to independence, but has not been fully implemented.
The Ministry explained that teaching children in a language they understand, alongside English, strengthens learning outcomes across all subjects.
It also noted that using a language a child does not understand can create significant barriers to literacy and overall academic performance.
To improve learning outcomes from Kindergarten to Basic Year 3, the Ministry plans to revisit the policy and draw upon successful local programmes such as Complementary Basic Education, which engage communities and extend early-grade teaching across Ghana’s 12 official languages.
The policy aims to ensure that by the end of Basic Year 3, children are proficient in their home or playground language, providing a strong foundation for learning English and other languages as they progress in school.
International evidence from countries including China, Finland, Japan, and Malaysia supports this approach, showing that home language proficiency enhances learning in additional languages and fosters national identity and cultural appreciation.
The Ministry reiterated that no learner will be left behind and that English and other international languages will continue to be taught in schools. The statement stressed that this approach ensures children receive the quality education they are entitled to while nurturing responsible national and global citizens.
