Education Ministry 'runs away' from CSE curriculum

The Education Ministry has cleared the air on developing issues around the subject of Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) following public outrage.

There has been massive public castigation from several sections of Ghanaians about the introduction of the CSE, with majority of the population speaking against its implementation.

Some have expressed fears about a subtle agenda through the syllabus to promote Lesbians, Gays, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) plan.

Addressing the media at a presser Tuesday, October 1, 2019, Education Minister, Matthew Opoku Prempeh dispelled suggestions that government was ignoring the cultural and moral values of its citizens and creating policies that will have dire consequences.

According to him, the syllabus approved by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA) for KG to primary 6 does not include CSE.

He also clarified that the teachers trained for the new curriculum were not trained nor given resource packs for the teaching of CSE as part of the new school curriculum.

Read the full statement below:

The Ministry of Education wishes to address the issue of Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) that has aroused strong public sentiments over the past few days.

The Ministry states categorically that:

1. 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 (www.nacca.gov.gh), DOES NOT include CSE

2. The curriculum for KG – P6 approved by Cabinet for use in schools and published, DOES NOT include CSE

3. NaCCA has not approved any material on CSE as it is not included in the approved and published KG-P6 curriculum framework.

4. One hundred and fifty-two thousand (152,000) teachers trained for the new curriculum were not trained to teach CSE

5. Teacher resource packs developed for teachers to enable them teach the new school curriculum (KG –P6) DOES NOT include CSE

6. There are faith-based organization on both Ghana Education Service (GES) and NaCCA’s Governing Councils to help ensure that our curriculum is aligned with our values as a nation.

We appeal to the general public and all faith-based organisations to exercise restraint and verify the facts of official government policy before making public pronouncements. The nation should be rest assured that the Government and the Ministry will not compromise our societal values in the delivery of quality education.

Controversial CSE

The Ghana government and United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) launched the CSE programme this year in a bid to empower adolescents and young people to attain a Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE).

Known as the “Our right, Our lives, Our Future (O³), CSE is supported by governments of Sweden and Ireland.

It is being implemented in Ghana, Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe for what proponents say is will be an effective delivery of quality comprehensive sexuality programmes.

The Ghana Education Service (GES) has argued that the subject content of the CSE would be age-appropriate to enable say pre-schoolers to be empowered with values that would protect them from sexual harassment.