The Ministry of Education has clarified that English has not been scrapped as the language of instruction in Ghana’s basic schools.

This follows public concern over reports that schools had been directed to teach pupils from Kindergarten to Primary Three in their mother tongue.

In a statement issued on Thursday, October 30, and signed by Deputy Minister for Education Dr. Clement Apaak, the Ministry explained that the use of local languages alongside English has been a long-standing national policy dating back to independence but has yet to be fully implemented.

According to the statement, this policy promotes the use of children’s home languages together with English to improve learning outcomes and teaching in a language children understand helps strengthen literacy and comprehension across all subjects.

The Ministry warned that instructing pupils in unfamiliar languages creates barriers to learning and reduces overall academic performance.

To address this, it announced plans to fully operationalise the bilingual education policy by building on successful initiatives such as the Complementary Basic Education programme, which uses 12 Ghanaian languages in early-grade instruction.

The goal, the Ministry said, is to ensure that by the end of Basic 3, pupils are fluent in their home or commonly spoken language providing a solid foundation for mastering English and other languages later in their education.

It also cited international evidence from countries like China, Finland, Japan, and Malaysia, showing that proficiency in one’s home language enhances the ability to learn additional languages while reinforcing national identity and cultural appreciation.

The Ministry reaffirmed that English will remain an integral part of the curriculum, assuring that “no learner will be left behind.”

According to the statement, this approach ensures that children receive quality education while becoming responsible national and global citizens,”