In a bold and history-making move, the Government of Ghana has announced that local languages will now replace English as the main medium of instruction in basic schools across the country , a decision that has sent shockwaves across the education sector and sparked lively debates nationwide.
The new directive, rolled out by the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service (GES), takes effect from the 2025 academic year. Under the fresh framework, children from kindergarten to primary six will now be taught primarily in their native Ghanaian languages, with English introduced gradually as a secondary language.
Education Minister, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, while unveiling the policy in Accra, described the shift as a revolutionary step toward empowering Ghanaian children to learn faster, think deeper, and connect more proudly with their roots.
“Research shows that children understand and perform better when taught in their mother tongue,” Adutwum said. “We are not removing English entirely, but we are prioritising our local languages as the foundation for learning. It’s time our classrooms sound like Ghana again.”
The new policy has been greeted with a mix of applause and surprise. Supporters hail it as a cultural renaissance that will strengthen literacy, comprehension, and national identity. Critics, however, warn that it could widen communication gaps and limit global competitiveness if not properly managed.
Teachers across the country are expected to receive special language training ahead of the rollout, while curriculum materials are being rewritten in major Ghanaian languages such as Twi, Ewe, Ga, Dagbani, and Fante.
For many education watchers, Ghana’s latest move marks a daring departure from colonial tradition — one that could inspire other African nations to rethink their own language policies in education.
“If successful, Ghana might just become the first African country to decolonize its classroom from the ground up,” said an excited education analyst in Kumasi.
As the countdown to 2025 begins, all eyes are on Ghana , where the next generation of pupils may soon greet their teachers not with ‘Good morning, sir,’ but with ‘Maakye, Owura!’
