'GES Has No Intention to Make Arabic Compulsory'

By Times Reporter

The Management of the Ghana Education Service (GES) has stated that it has no intention of making Arabic a compulsory subject in the country.

It has, therefore, called on the general public to disregard some publications making rounds that the service was working towards the 'Islamisation of Ghana'.

A statement signed and issued in Accra yesterday by the Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mrs Cassandra Twum Ampofo, said the attention of the service had been drawn to news story on various news portals about what the writer referred to as 'Islamisation of Ghana'.

Among the issues raised by the author it said was the issue of introduction of Arabic as a compulsory subject in schools.

The statement said it must be put on record that the first phase of the curriculum review focused on that of kindergarten and primary schools, that was KG1 to P6.

It explained that the subjects to be studied in the literacy component of the primary school curriculum were English Language, Ghanaian Language(s) and French at the Upper Primary level.

"This thus debunks the allegation that Arabic will be taught at the primary school level. As a matter of fact none of the 152,000 kindergarten and primary school teachers who took part in the recent nationwide orientation on the new standards-based curriculum received training in Arabic," it emphasised.

The statement further explained that though the Junior High School (JHS) curriculum was yet to be reviewed, there were plans to develop a curriculum for Arabic at the JHS level.

This it said was as a result of the present global status of Arabic as a modern foreign language, adding that, "It must be noted that currently, Arabic is offered in some schools in the Islamic Education Unit".

However, the absence of an official curriculum in Arabic had culminated in situations whereby different schools resort to their own arrangements and materials to teach the subject.

It said the GES and the National Council for Curriculum Assessment (NaCCA) deemed it necessary to provide schools that were currently offering Arabic and those that wished to do so with a curriculum.

"This will ensure the harmonisation of the study of Arabic in all such schools. However, as is currently with the study of French at the JHS level, it will not be a compulsory subject for any school or group of persons for that matter," it added.

The statement said the decision to teach Arabic or not would be based on the decision of the individual school as well as the availability of an Arabic teacher.

Meanwhile the service has announced that it would start with the recruitment of qualified trained teachers for the 2019/2020 academic year.

As part of the requisition for recruitment, candidates who wish to be recruited should have completed the final year College of Education examination, completed the mandatory National Service and must have passed the Teacher Licensure Examination.

The applicant must be prepared to work at wherever the service may post him or her.

Read Full Story