The Minister of Education has instructed the Ghana Education Service (GES) to make mother-tongue instruction compulsory at the basic school level across the country.
The directive is aimed at improving pupils’ comprehension, literacy, and overall academic performance, especially in early childhood education. The Ministry believes that children learn best when they are taught in a language they understand from home before transitioning fully to English.
According to the Minister, the use of local languages in classrooms during the formative years helps build a stronger foundation for reading and understanding concepts, which ultimately enhances learning outcomes in later stages.
The GES has been tasked to collaborate with regional and district education offices to roll out the policy gradually. This includes training teachers, developing local-language teaching materials, and engaging communities to support the implementation.
Education experts have long advocated for such a move, noting that pupils often struggle when forced to learn in a foreign language from an early age. The new directive is expected to bridge the gap between home and school learning environments, promoting inclusivity and equity in education.
The Ministry also indicated that further details and timelines for the full implementation will be released soon.