The Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has clarified that Arabic and Chinese languages will not be compulsory subjects in the new educational curriculum for learners in kindergarten (KG) to primary six.
Addressing the 68th anniversary Speech and Prize-Giving Day of the Pope John Senior High School and Minor Seminary at Effiduase - Koforidua in the Eastern Region last Saturday, the minister said, "There is no intention or attempt by government to make Arabic and Chinese compulsory at any level of our education, and that is not the thinking of government”.
Excellence
The event, with the theme: "Empowering Learners for Excellence, A Responsibility for All", was attended by dignitaries in the educational sector, government officials, Members of Parliament (MPs), municipal and district chief executives (MDCEs), religious leaders, present and past students, traditional rulers, parents and guardians.
Mr Iddrisu explained that while English Language remained the main medium of instruction, local languages were used for kids from KG to primary so that the learners would lose out on local traditional culture and values.
"We are forcing, encouraging and supporting the use of local Ghanaian language from KG to primary three; also, primary four to primary six upwards will be introducing three foreign languages, optional for learners. We intend to make English Language still basic," the minister stated.
He mentioned Chinese, Arabic, French and German as some of the foreign languages that would be optional for learners.
The minister said the proposal was currently before the Ghana Education Service (GES) for recommendation and implementation.
Anniversary
Mr Iddrisu said the government was doing its best to ensure that the school ran the single-track system and gave an assurance that the infrastructure of Pope John’s would be improved for such a transition.
He later announced a GH¢10,000 annual scholarship package in memory of the late Edward Omane Boamah, an old student of the school and former Minister of Defence.
The package is meant for the Overall Best West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) student of the school.
The late Dr Boamah was one of the eight government officials who died in a tragic military helicopter crash while on assignment last year.
Limited furniture
The Headmaster of the school, Rev. Father Benjamin Ohene, said inadequate furniture in classrooms was affecting teaching and learning in the institution.
He, therefore, called on the government to supply the school with furniture to enable the students to sit comfortably to study.
He said there was a vast gap between the number of furniture items provided that were enrolled and the number of furniture items that were available in the classrooms, Ohene requested.
"The major challenge confronting the school has to do with inadequate furniture.
There is limited furniture, and we do not want students to sit on the floor to study; such situations do not enhance effective teaching and learning," he indicated.
Some past and present students were rewarded in recognition of their hard work and dedication to excel academically.
