From CSE to Gender Identity: 2 times LGBTQ content appeared in Ghana's school curriculum

Ghana’s education system has repeatedly faced heated debates over curriculum content, particularly on issues relating to sexuality and gender.

These disputes have often ignited strong reactions from parents, religious leaders, civil society groups, and policymakers.

The debates have not only shaped public discourse but they have also forced the Ministry of Education and the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA) to repeatedly defend, revise, or withdraw teaching materials.

This GhanaWeb article explores the two times LGBTQ+ content have appeared in Ghana’s school curriculum

Comprehensive Sexuality Education Sparks National Outcry in 2019

In September 2019, the rollout of a new standards-based curriculum for basic schools was overshadowed by allegations that it introduced Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE).

Civil society groups, religious leaders, and parents contended that CSE contained elements that could expose children to LGBTQ+ concepts.

The backlash was swift, with critics accusing the Ministry of Education and the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA) of attempting to “smuggle LGBTQ education” into Ghana’s schools.

NaCCA withdraws SHS teachers' manual over gender identity concerns

The then Minister of Education, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, responded that “At no point has the government approved any curriculum that teaches children about LGBTQ lifestyles. Ghana’s values and culture remain the foundation of our education system.”

Following the uproar, the government withdrew the CSE guidelines, insisting that reforms would not promote LGBTQ ideas.

Gender Identity Definition Withdrawn from SHS Manual in 2026

Seven years later in January 2026, Ghana has faced another curriculum storm, forcing NaCCA to order the withdrawal of the Senior High School Physical Education and Health teachers’ manual after backlash over its definition of gender identity.

The manual had described gender identity as “a person’s deeply felt internal experience of gender which may or may not correspond to the sex assigned at birth.”

Critics say that this introduced non-binary views of gender into classrooms, clashing with Ghanaian cultural values.

Former Deputy Minister of Education, Rev John Ntim Fordjour, accused the government of “smuggling LGBTQ content into the syllabus,” stating, “We will not allow alien ideologies to infiltrate our schools under the guise of curriculum reform.”

EXPLAINER: Why NaCCA has recalled SHS Physical Education manual

NaCCA admitted the controversial section should not have appeared in the final version.

In a statement, the council said: “We acknowledge the lapse in our review process. The manual is being recalled and will be revised to reflect national values and biological understanding.”

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