Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu has stated that the government will update out-of-date textbooks and solve the scarcity of resources for teaching regional languages.
In an interview with Joy FM on March 12, 2025, after the 2025 Budget was presented, Mr. Iddrisu admitted that a large number of currently used textbooks do not accurately represent the new curriculum. He emphasized the need for revisions by pointing out that some geography textbooks still only recognize 10 areas rather than 16.
Even the current atlas we use only recognizes 10 regions in Ghana, not 16. This was brought to my attention yesterday by one of the country’s publishers. We must have that manufactured and fixed as soon as possible,” he said.
In addition to out-of-date textbooks, Mr. Iddrisu pointed out that many schools do not have the necessary resources to teach native languages including Hausa, Dagbani, Twi, Ga, and Ewe.
Although teaching these languages is required, he claimed that there aren’t enough authors or publications or resources to help in learning.
“Local language instruction is required, but there aren’t enough books or even authors for many of these languages,” he stated.
“In order to have the required teaching materials, we must encourage more people to write in our local languages.”
In order to facilitate efficient teaching and learning, he urged a concerted effort to create textbooks in regional tongues.
The purchase of new curriculum-based textbooks, including updated topic materials and novels in local languages, would cost GH¢564.6 million, according to the 2025 Budget, which Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson unveiled on March 11.
Furthermore, GH¢1.788 billion has been allotted to the School Feeding Program in order to enhance student performance and retention, and GH¢145.5 million has been set aside for the Capitation Grant in order to promote basic education.
In order to promote literacy and protect Ghana’s linguistic legacy, Mr. Iddrisu asked authors and publishers to take on the task of creating instructional resources in regional tongues.
“Whether it’s Ga, Twi, Ewe, Hausa, or Dagbani, we don’t even have resources to guide the teaching of some of these local languages,” he said.
“In order to have enough texts at the local level, we need to encourage more people to write.”
“Whether it’s Ga, Twi, Ewe, Hausa, or Dagbani, we don’t even have resources to guide the teaching of some of these local languages,” he said.
“In order to have enough texts at the local level, we need to encourage more people to write.”
“Whether it’s Ga, Twi, Ewe, Hausa, or Dagbani, we don’t even have resources to guide the teaching of some of these local languages,” he said.
“In order to have enough texts at the local level, we need to encourage more people to write.”
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