Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, on Thursday, January 15, 2026, directed the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA) to ensure there is no ambiguity in the biological definition of gender within Ghana’s educational curriculum.
Speaking during a brief stopover at a Ghana Senior High School teachers’ training workshop in Tamale, the Tamale South lawmaker stressed that clarity on biological sex and gender is non-negotiable and must be reflected plainly in what is taught in schools.
“There should be no ambiguity whatsoever in the definition of a man, a woman, and sex,” Mr. Iddrisu stated. “For our purposes, the sex of a person at birth holds. That depicts and reflects Ghanaian values and our laws.”
The Minister emphasised that educational materials must align with national morality and cultural norms, adding: “We want to bring up Ghanaian learners in an environment where they appreciate that the morality of our society rests on our values.”
He directed NaCCA to take full responsibility for addressing any inconsistencies and to act with urgency, confirming that corrective measures, including the recall of affected manuals, are already underway.
This directive follows intense public outcry and demands from the Minority Caucus in Parliament, led by MPs including John Ntim Fordjour and Vincent Ekow Assafuah, who have called for the immediate withdrawal of all LGBTQ-related learning materials, a parliamentary probe, and the dismissal of NaCCA’s leadership over the controversial 2025 Senior High School Physical Education and Health Teacher Manual.NaCCA had earlier withdrawn and revised the manual after acknowledging that certain sections on gender identity did not align with Ghanaian culture. The revised version now emphasises biological definitions.
The Minister’s intervention has been welcomed by some stakeholders as a firm stance on preserving traditional values in education, while reinforcing government commitment to quality and culturally relevant teaching materials amid the ongoing national debate.
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