How Ghanaian languages, English and foreign languages will be used under the new basic school curriculum, MoE clarifies

Nii Ayitey Brown 18:13 - 02 August 2026

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Haruna Iddrisu

Ghana's Ministry of Education has clarified the language of instruction policy under the proposed revised basic school curriculum. Here's how Ghanaian languages, English and optional foreign languages like French, Arabic and Chinese will be used from Kindergarten to Primary Six.

The Ministry of Education says Ghanaian languages will be the main medium of instruction from Kindergarten to Primary Three, with English gradually introduced alongside them from Primary Four to Primary Six.
Foreign languages such as French, Arabic and Chinese are not compulsory, the ministry clarified, adding that they will only be offered as optional subjects where qualified teachers and learning resources are available.
The clarification follows public misinformation about the proposed revised curriculum, with the ministry urging parents, teachers and the public to disregard claims that English has been removed or that foreign languages have become mandatory in Ghanaian schools.

The Ministry of Education has clarified that Ghanaian languages will be the main medium of instruction for children from Kindergarten to Primary Three under Ghana’s proposed revised basic school curriculum.

The ministry says English will not be removed from schools, while foreign languages such as French, Arabic and Chinese will remain optional rather than compulsory.

The clarification, issued on Sunday, August 2, 2026, follows public debate and claims that foreign languages had been made compulsory for pupils under the revised curriculum.

What does the new language policy mean?

Under the proposed policy, teachers will mainly use a Ghanaian language to teach pupils from Kindergarten to Primary Three. This means subjects such as literacy, mathematics and other foundational topics may be explained in a familiar local language during the early years of a child’s education.

According to the Ministry of Education, the aim is to help children understand lessons more easily and build strong foundations in reading, numeracy, critical thinking and general learning.

The ministry explained:

This policy is intended to strengthen children's foundational literacy, numeracy, critical thinking, and overall cognitive development by enabling them to learn in a language they understand best during their formative years.

The approach is based on the idea that children learn better during their early years when lessons are delivered in a language they understand and use regularly.

What happens from Primary Four?

From Primary Four to Primary Six, teachers will use both English and Ghanaian languages. This bilingual approach is expected to help pupils gradually become more comfortable learning in English while maintaining their ability to understand and communicate in a Ghanaian language.

The ministry said:

From Primary Four to Primary Six, both Ghanaian languages and English will be used as the medium of instruction.

Simply, pupils will not suddenly stop learning through their local language after Primary Three. Instead, English will be introduced more strongly alongside the Ghanaian language to prepare them for higher levels of education, where English is more widely used.

Has English been removed as a teaching language?

The Ministry of Education has not abolished English as either a subject or a medium of instruction. English will continue to be taught and will take on a greater role as pupils progress through the school system. Claims that English would be completely replaced by Ghanaian languages are therefore misleading.

Are Chinese, French and Arabic now compulsory?

The ministry has clarified that foreign languages, including French, Arabic and Chinese, will be optional. Schools may offer them to pupils who are interested in acquiring additional language skills, but this will depend on whether the school has qualified teachers and the necessary learning materials.

The ministry said:

Foreign languages such as French, Arabic, and Chinese among others are not compulsory subjects.

It added that the languages would be available to pupils who wished to study them, subject to the availability of teachers and resources.

Why the clarification?

The statement was released after reports about the revised curriculum created confusion among parents, teachers and members of the public.

Some understood that Ghanaian languages would replace English across basic schools, while others created the impression that languages such as Chinese had become compulsory. The ministry described those claims as misinformation and urged the public to disregard them.

It said:

The Ministry urges parents, teachers, school authorities, media organisations, and the general public to disregard misinformation suggesting that foreign languages have been made compulsory in the proposed revised curriculum.

What should parents and teachers expect?

Parents should expect Ghanaian languages to play a major role in teaching children from KG to Primary Three. From Primary Four to Primary Six, English and Ghanaian languages will be used together to make the transition to English-based learning easier.

Foreign languages may also be available in some schools, but pupils will not be forced to study Chinese, French, Arabic or any other additional foreign language simply because it appears in the revised curriculum.

The ministry says the overall goal is to improve learning outcomes while producing pupils who can communicate in Ghanaian languages, English and, where possible, other international languages.

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