Local languages now compulsory at schools

The Government of Ghana has announced that all teachers must now use local languages as the main medium of instruction at the basic school level, reports africanews. Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu revealed the new policy, calling it a decisive step toward improving learning outcomes and protecting Ghana’s cultural identity. This shift challenges decades of English dominance, a colonial inheritance, in Ghana’s education system. The idea behind the policy isn’t new, and already has strong global backing, including from the UN Educational, Scientific & Cultural Organisation and the World Bank. This idea is also gaining momentum in countries like SA, Kenya and Tanzania. This plan, however, is likely to come with many challenges. The West African nation is home to more than 70 languages, with about 11 officially recognised for education and broadcasting. Most Ghanaian textbooks are written in English. Translating them into multiple local languages, training teachers to use them, and maintaining consistency nationwide could take years. Ghana’s decision weaves into a larger conversation across the continent. Countries like Tanzania and Ethiopia have long promoted mother-tongue education at the primary level, with mixed results. In Tanzania, Swahili serves as a unifying language that makes the policy easier to implement. But in more linguistically diverse countries like Nigeria, Kenya and Cameroon, implementation has been challenging. If it works in Ghana, it could inspire similar reforms across Africa.