The Ministry of Education has clarified that the directive on the compulsory use of Ghanaian languages as the medium of instruction in basic schools is limited to Kindergarten to Primary Three (Lower Primary).
The clarification comes after public debate sparked by an earlier announcement from the Education Minister, Haruna Iddrisu, regarding the implementation of mother tongue instruction in schools.
Speaking at the launch of the Foundational Learning Action Tracker on Monday, October 27, Deputy Education Minister Clement Apaak stressed that the policy covers only the early years of basic education.
“The Honourable Minister for Education 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 3,” he stated.
He added that the clarification was necessary to address the concerns that had unsettled a section of the public.
Meanwhile, Dr. Joyce Tawiah Mensah, a Senior Lecturer at the University of Cape Coast’s Department of Basic Education, has called for strong political will to ensure the effective implementation of the policy across schools in the country.
