Chief of Staff didn’t say Arabic will be compulsory – Government

The Chief of Staff’s comment that Arabic will be made an “examinable” subject in schools from next year has been misinterpreted, presidential staffer Emelia Arthur has said.

Mr Julius Debrah, during an interaction with the Muslim Community at Nsawam Zongo, as part of his campaign tour of the Eastern Region said “President Mahama has agreed that from 2017, Senior High School students will study Arabic like they do in the English language.”

However, Ms Arthur has told journalists that: “The chief of staff did not use the word compulsory, he did not say that the government will make Arabic a compulsory subject.”

“The chief of staff said that government is considering making Arabic an examinable subject. An examinable subject, optional, not compulsory,” she said.

Meanwhile, the main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) has accused the governing NDC of plagiarising its policy on Arabic.