GES to enforce policy on Ghanaian language for instruction – MoE
The Ministry of Education (MoE) has directed the Ghana Education Service (GES) to ensure strict enforcement of the policy on the use of the Ghanaian language for instruction at the basic level.
“I am directing the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service and the Ghana Education Service that from today, teacher use of mother tongue instruction is now compulsory in all Ghanaian schools.
The GES is to ensure strict enforcement of this…This is part of President Mahama’s reset agenda,” the Education Minister said, speaking at the launch of the Free Tertiary Education for Persons with Disabilities.
The Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, stated that the strict enforcement of the policy aims to ensure that every teacher at the basic level uses the appropriate Ghanaian language for teaching.
The Education Minister’s call for strict enforcement of the Ghanaian language for instruction comes after has announced that the use of mother tongue instruction is now compulsory in all basic schools across Ghana.
Addressing the issue of students having to speak English in schools, he instructed that the Ghana Education Service (GES) ensure that the teacher’s use of the mother-tongue is now compulsory in schools.
He explained that a child learns best in a familiar language and that it is unfair for Ghanaian children to begin their education entirely in English when they come from homes where local languages are spoken.
“The story is told of a young girl whose teacher was teaching in English at an early stage, and the child struggled to understand. That child was not born into an English family but a proud Ghanaian family. Every Ghanaian child deserves to learn in a language they understand,” the Education Minister said.
Mr Haruna Iddrisu indicated that the move forms part of President John Dramani Mahama’s broader agenda to promote inclusivity and improve the quality of education in Ghana.
“President Mahama is fulfilling his promise of inclusivity and equal opportunity in education. His vision is to make learning meaningful for every Ghanaian child, regardless of background or ability,” he said.
The launch of the Free Tertiary Education for Persons with Disabilities was on the theme, “Disability not inability: Advancing inclusive access to higher education under the reset agenda.”
It was held at the Accra College of Education on October 24, 2025, and had the Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, Chief Executive Officer of the Student Loan Trust Fund, Madam Saajida Shiraz
Others, including National President of the Ghana Federation of Disability Organizations, Mr. Joseph Atsu Homadzi, and Deputy Minister for Agriculture, John Dumelo, were in attendance to crown the event under the Students’ Loan Trust Fund (SLTF).
