Education Minister Orders Compulsory Use of Mother Tongue in All Ghanaian Schools

The Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has directed that the use of Ghanaian mother tongues as a medium of instruction be made mandatory in all schools across the country.

He announced the directive during the launch of the Free Tertiary Education for Persons with Disabilities initiative in Accra, stating that the policy takes immediate effect.

“From today, I am directing the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES) that teacher use of mother tongue instruction is now compulsory in all Ghanaian schools,” the Minister declared.

Mr. Iddrisu emphasized that the Ghana Education Service must ensure strict compliance with the directive, noting that it forms a vital part of Ghana’s educational and cultural renewal.

“The GES must enforce this. The Ghanaian child was not born into an English family but into a proud Ashanti, Ewe, Ga, or Akan family, and deserves to learn in that language,” he said.

According to the Minister, the new policy aligns with President John Mahama’s Reset Agenda, which seeks to restore national pride, strengthen cultural identity, and reshape education to serve Ghana’s developmental aspirations.

He noted that the overreliance on English as the sole language of instruction had, over the years, created barriers to comprehension and limited many pupils’ ability to think critically in their first language.

“Our children understand better when taught in the language they speak at home. This directive will not only enhance learning outcomes but also help preserve our indigenous languages for generations to come,” he explained.

The Minister tasked the Ghana Education Service to develop clear guidelines for teachers, school heads, and district education offices to ensure effective implementation and monitoring.

Education experts have long argued that children learn faster and retain more knowledge when taught in their mother tongue during the early years of schooling, a position backed by UNESCO and Ghana’s own language-in-education policy framework.

Mr. Iddrisu’s directive, therefore, reinforces the government’s commitment to reviving Ghana’s linguistic heritage and ensuring that education remains both inclusive and culturally relevant.

“This is not merely an educational reform,” the Minister added. “It is a cultural awakening, one that reconnects the Ghanaian child with their roots and prepares them to face the future with confidence.”