Ghana’s Catholic bishops have called for a comprehensive audit of the country’s curriculum development process after LGBTQ-related content appeared in a senior high school teacher’s manual, triggering public backlash.
In a statement issued on Friday, the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference said the inclusion of the material appeared intentional and exposed serious weaknesses in oversight, consultation, and value alignment within the education system.
“We call for a comprehensive review of curriculum development and editorial processes, with particular attention to transparency, accountability, and value alignment,” the bishops said.
The intervention follows controversy surrounding a Year Two Senior High School Physical Education and Health teacher’s manual, produced under the supervision of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA), which contained references to gender identity.
While welcoming NaCCA’s decision to withdraw the material and issue a revised manual, the bishops said the incident revealed deeper systemic problems that could not be resolved by a recall alone.
They argued that the content was inconsistent with Ghana’s cultural, moral, and biological understanding of the human person and warned that public confidence in education policy could be undermined if such lapses continue.
The conference said it has prepared a position paper to be submitted to the government, NaCCA, the Ministry of Education, and the Ghana Education Service, outlining proposals to prevent similar occurrences.
These include regular stakeholder consultations involving parents, religious bodies, traditional authorities, and education experts, as well as the creation of ethical oversight committees to vet teaching materials dealing with sensitive subjects such as identity, relationships, and sexuality.
The bishops also praised public advocates who had called for an independent review, saying their concerns reflected widely held public sentiment.
“Public trust in education depends on transparency, accountability, and fidelity to constitutional and moral principles,” the statement said.
The statement was signed by the Bishop of Sunyani and president of the conference, Most Rev Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi.
NaCCA has since confirmed that it has recalled printed copies of the manual, acknowledging that sections on gender identity did not align with Ghana’s cultural norms and values.
