Why English-Arabic schools were established under Jerry John Rawlings

Ghana’s President, John Dramani Mahama, has explained why English-Arabic schools were established during the administration of the late former President Jerry John Rawlings.

According to President Mahama, Muslim communities at the time were reluctant to send their children to school because of concerns that they could be converted to other religions.

He said the Rawlings administration responded to the concern by introducing English-Arabic schools, allowing Arabic to be taught alongside the conventional curriculum and making formal education more acceptable to Muslim communities.

President Mahama made the remarks on September 12, 2026, during a citizens’ engagement at the University of Business and Integrated Development Studies (UBIDS) in the Upper West Region as part of his Resetting Ghana Tour.

“There is training of Arabic teachers because, in Rawlings’ time, we noticed that the Muslim communities were not sending their children to school. They were not sending their children to school because they were afraid that their children would be converted to some other religion. So, Rawlings introduced English-Arabic schools. They allowed Arabic to be taught in those schools,” he explained.

We haven't approved any policy to introduce Arabic and Chinese in all public schools - Mahama

President Mahama’s comments came in response to discussions surrounding reports that his government was considering the introduction of Arabic and Chinese as subjects in public schools across the country.

The President dismissed the claims, stating that no such policy had been approved by Cabinet. He urged the public to disregard reports suggesting that Arabic and Chinese were being introduced nationwide as part of the public school curriculum.

“No such policy has been approved by the Cabinet that I chair. So let’s put that matter to rest once and for all,” President Mahama said.

He also questioned the rationale for introducing Chinese into the public school system when Ghana continues to face challenges in securing enough teachers to effectively teach French.

President Mahama noted that French remains particularly important to Ghana because of the country’s proximity to several Francophone countries in the sub-region.

“We’re not even getting a handle on the teaching of French. Why would we go and introduce Chinese?” he asked.

“There’s absolutely no new policy to introduce Arabic and Chinese” — Mahama

President John Dramani Mahama has dismissed claims that Arabic and Chinese are being introduced into Ghana’s school curriculum, saying no such policy has been approved by Cabinet.#ChannelOneNews… pic.twitter.com/KWF3ifF3Qy

— CITI FM 97.3 (@Citi973) September 12, 2026