The Ministry of Education has issued a statement addressing recent reports questioning the intention to mandate the teaching of Arabic in Ghanaian schools. In a statement released on August 10, 2026, the Ministry unequivocally refuted these claims, stating that there is no policy or directive requiring students to study Arabic for compulsory instruction. This clarification follows a period of intense media attention and public concern regarding the potential implications of such a policy.
The Ministry’s response is rooted in a historical context, tracing the development of Arabic education back to the establishment of the standardised curriculum predating the appointment of Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu. The initial groundwork for this curriculum began several years ago with a review of the senior high school curriculum. The process was initiated by a dedicated team tasked with ensuring curriculum consistency and quality assurance across the nation’s educational institutions.
Crucially, the Ministry emphasized that Arabic has been officially recognised as part of the primary school curriculum for decades, a development that significantly contributed to the establishment of English-Arabic or Islamic schools across the country. However, it also highlighted a crucial distinction: While Arabic has been taught in numerous Islamic schools, there has never been a single, officially approved curriculum governing its teaching across all of them. These existing curricula have remained largely decentralized, utilizing their own established methodologies.
To address this existing fragmentation, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA) developed a standardised Arabic language curriculum designed to provide a consistent and quality standard across all levels of Arabic instruction. The Ministry stressed that NaCCA’s recommendation for this curriculum was initially intended to be implemented within existing Arabic-teaching schools and public primary schools that might choose to introduce the subject.
Furthermore, the Ministry emphatically rejected any suggestion that the development of this standardised curriculum constitutes an attempt to impose Islam or any other religious belief on Ghanaian students. It stated unequivocally that the creation of a standardised curriculum does not equate to mandatory religious instruction, nor does it represent a deliberate effort to impose any particular religion on Ghanaian learners. The Ministry pointed out that existing schools are already teeming with hundreds of Islamic schools dedicated to supporting the educational and linguistic needs of their communities.
The Ministry further clarified that Arabic remains optional in public schools, just like Latin, French, and other foreign languages, irrespective of their origin. It reiterated that the standardised curriculum is intended to regulate the teaching of Arabic and ensure appropriate structure, consistency, and quality within the educational system.
In response to public concerns and media inquiries, the Ministry urged stakeholders to verify information from authoritative sources before disseminating claims that could induce fear, misunderstanding, or religious tensions. The Ministry’s statement underscores the importance of maintaining a factual and balanced perspective regarding the ongoing discussion surrounding Arabic education in Ghana.
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Source: Adom Online
