The Education Ministry has denied reports which seek to suggest it has introduced sexually explicit materials in the Comprehensive Sexually Education (CSE) programme, as part of the new curricula for primary schools in Ghana.
According to Education Minster Dr Matthew Opoku-Prempeh, though the sector Minister on January 30, 2019 launched the CSE in Accra, the definitions and areas to be covered did not include the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) as being reported.
Addressing the press Tuesday, the Education Minister said there were no plans to include that in the curricula of schools.
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He said no teacher has been trained to teach sexuality education in schools.
The Ministry, he noted, will not approve a curriculum that undermines the Ghanaian cultural and societal values.
“We have not signed any document of that sort and the resource act given to teachers for the new curriculum does not have in it (LGBT) or comprehensive sexuality education,” he said.
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He added that “What CSE includes is already being taught in our schools in social studies, Religious and Moral Education and others.
“The curriculum framework (KG-P6) approved by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA) for use in the development of school curriculum, which has been approved by cabinet and published does not include CSE.”
Dr Opoku-Prempeh noted that “the training of 152,000 teachers to teach the new curriculum did not include CSE.
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“There are faith-based organisations on both GES and NaCCA’s Governing Council to help ensure that our curriculum is aligned with our values as a nation. We appeal to the general public to exercise restraint and verify the facts of official government policy before making public pronouncements.”
To Dr Opoku-Prempeh, the January 30, 2019 launch of the Comprehensive Sexuality Education was a focus on the need for improved education in HIV/AIDS, teenage pregnancy and child marriage eradication because of their dire consequences on education.
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Source: Adomonline.com|Gertrude Otchere