The use of Ghanaian languages as the medium of instruction in schools will now be limited to Kindergarten and Lower Primary levels, the Ministry of Education has clarified.
This follows earlier remarks by Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu, who announced that the use of mother tongue had been made compulsory in all Ghanaian schools.
The declaration, made at the launch of the Free Tertiary Education Programme for Persons with Disability at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) on Friday, October 24, 2025, sparked widespread debate and confusion over the scope of the directive.
Mr. Iddrisu said at the time that the policy was in line with President John Dramani Mahama’s education reform and research agenda aimed at strengthening foundational learning outcomes nationwide.
However, in a clarification at the launch of the Foundational Learning Action Tracker at the Accra College of Education, Deputy Education Minister Clement Apaak explained that the directive applies only from Kindergarten to Primary Three.
“The Honourable Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has asked me to clarify that the policy directive he announced on Friday regarding the compulsory use of mother tongue as a medium of instruction in our public basic schools is confined—emphasis, confined—to KG up to Primary Three,” Dr. Apaak stated.
He added that the clarification was necessary to guide implementation and ensure that the policy is properly understood by educators, parents, and the general public.
The Ministry says the initiative aims to improve literacy, comprehension, and learning outcomes among early-grade pupils by allowing them to learn in familiar languages before transitioning to English as the medium of instruction at the upper levels.
