Ghana Removes English As Teaching Language

The Government of Ghana has announced that local languages will now replace English as the primary medium of instruction in basic schools across the country.

The new directive, introduced by the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service (GES), takes effect from the 2025 academic year. Under the new framework, children from kindergarten to primary six will be taught mainly in their native languages, with English introduced gradually as a second language.

Education Minister Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum explained that the policy aims to help children learn faster and connect more deeply with their cultural roots. “Research shows that children understand and perform better when taught in their mother tongue,” he said during a press briefing in Accra. “We are not removing English entirely, but we are prioritising our local languages as the foundation for learning.”