Education Minister Orders Strict Enforcement of Mother Tongue Instruction in Schools

Education Minister- Hon Haruna Iddrisu. Photo credit @MoE Ghana

Accra, Ghana — The Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has directed the Ghana Education Service (GES) to strictly enforce the use of mother tongue instruction across all schools in the country.

The directive, which takes immediate effect, forms part of the government’s broader educational reform agenda aimed at strengthening the use of local languages in teaching and learning, particularly at the basic level.

Speaking during the launch of the Free Tertiary Education Programme for Persons Living with Disabilities, Minister Iddrisu emphasized that the policy is designed to enhance comprehension and improve learning outcomes among pupils, especially in early childhood and lower primary education.

He explained that the move aligns with President Mahama’s education reset agenda, which seeks to promote inclusive and culturally relevant education. The initiative also supports the implementation of the National Language Policy, which mandates the use of Ghanaian languages as the medium of instruction from kindergarten through primary three before transitioning to English.

Education experts have long argued that teaching in a child’s first language improves literacy and retention rates. However, implementation across schools has been inconsistent, with many teachers defaulting to English due to lack of training materials and limited supervision.

The Education Minister urged the GES to work closely with teacher training colleges, curriculum developers, and district education directorates to ensure smooth enforcement and provide adequate resources for effective rollout.

The policy is expected to reinvigorate local language teaching nationwide and strengthen cultural identity within Ghana’s education system.

---

Read Also