Accra: School for Life, a Civil Society Organisation (CSO) in the education sector, has commended the Minister for Education for directing the Ghana Education Service (GES) to ensure that basic schoolteachers use local Ghanaian languages as a medium of instruction in teaching and learning. It described the directive as a significant step towards improving foundational learning outcomes and promoting inclusiveness in the country’s education system.
According to Ghana News Agency, this was contained in a statement issued by School for Life signed by Madam Wedad Sayibu, its Director, and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Tamale. The statement said the directive responded to long-standing advocacy by CSOs, including School for Life, for the adoption of mother-tongue-based education in early childhood learning.
It said the directive came at a crucial time in the country’s educational development following years of research and advocacy that highlighted the benefits of using local languages to enhance comprehension and retention among pupils. It welcomed the Minister’s plan to set up a five-member committee to review the existing mother-tongue policy and provide recommendations for effective implementation in line with Ghana’s Education Act and Language Policy.
The statement mentioned that the School for Life’s Complementary Basic Education (CBE) programme had demonstrated that instruction in local languages significantly improved literacy and numeracy skills, especially among out-of-school children in deprived communities. School for Life had been a strong advocate for inclusive education and policy reform, contributing to the establishment of the Complementary Education Agency (CEA) through the CBE Alliance Network, a coalition of CSOs, NGOs, and education stakeholders promoting alternative learning pathways.
The statement reaffirmed CSO’s commitment to ensuring that every child in Ghana, regardless of where they lived, had access to relevant and quality education that began in a language they understood best. It said the organisation stood ready to support the Ministry of Education and the GES in implementing and monitoring the directive across the country. It expressed optimism that the renewed focus on local language instruction marked a turning point in the country’s education system, one that upheld cultural identity, strengthened learning foundations, and ensured improved educational outcomes for all children.