NaCCA dismisses alleged LGBTQ materials in SHS curriculum
The government has no intention to promote, endorse, or introduce Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) content at any level of the educational system, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA) has stated.
"Our curriculum remains firmly anchored in the socio-cultural fabric of Ghana, Constitutional principles, and child-centred development goals.”
"We are grateful for the continued support of the public as we take these responsible steps to ensure our educational resources remain a true reflection of our national identity," a statement signed and issued by the Director-General of NaCCA, Professor Samuel Osei O. Ofori Bekoe, stated.
The statement was in reaction to an alleged description of "gender" in an elective teacher manual for senior high school curriculum on Physical Education and Health, suggesting that in describing "gender," there is an alternative to male and female.
The alleged content generated a public outburst, suggesting that the government seeks to promote LGBTQ in the education system.
False and misleading
But NaCCA, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, dismissed such allegations that LGBTQ-related content has been introduced into the country's SHS curriculum, insisting that the claims are false and misleading.
In the statement, the NaCCA stressed that “no such content exists within the approved national curriculum.
"Our curriculum remains firmly anchored in the socio-cultural fabric of Ghana, Constitutional principles, and child-centred development goals.”
"We are grateful for the continued support of the public as we take these responsible steps to ensure our educational resources remain a true reflection of our national identity," the statement emphasised.
Distinctions
Giving a distinction between Curriculum and Teacher Manuals, the statement clarified that the national curriculum and teacher support materials served distinct functions.
It explained that the curriculum was the official policy document defining the mandatory areas of study for learners.
"In contrast, Teacher Manuals are supplementary instructional resources designed to provide pedagogical guidance to teachers.”
"These manuals do not constitute the curriculum itself, and their use is optional; teachers may deliver the approved curriculum without relying on these specific guides," the statement explained.
It said the development of the Secondary Education Curriculum was a dynamic process characterised by rigorous technical review and broad stakeholder consultation.
Milestones
Giving clarity to various milestones, the statement explained that in the 2024/2025 academic year, a new curriculum was introduced at the SHS level.
"For the first time in the history of Ghana, a decision was taken for Teacher Manuals to be developed to aid teachers in the implementation of the new curriculum.”
"NaCCA, therefore, empanelled subject-specific writing teams, in collaboration with Transforming Teacher Education and Learning (T-TEL), to develop the Manuals in 2024," it explained.
It added that following a comprehensive internal review, NaCCA determined that the specific definition of "Gender Identity" contained within the Year 2 Physical Education and Health (Elective Teacher Manual) for Senior High Schools was not reflective of Ghanaian culture, norms, and values.
"A revised version of the Year 2 Physical Education and Health (Elective Teacher Manual, aligned with national values and biological understanding, has been released, and it is accessible to the public and teachers at https://bit.ly/4jGMyyH," the statement added.
