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

President John Dramani Mahama has stressed that there is no new policy to introduce Arabic and Chinese as subjects across all public schools in Ghana, dismissing claims that his government had approved such a move.

"But there's no new policy to introduce Arabic and Chinese in all public schools in Ghana," he said.

He said no such policy has received approval from the Cabinet and urged the public to disregard claims that the two languages are being introduced nationwide.

President Mahama made the remarks on Saturday, 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.

"No such policy has been approved by the Cabinet that I chair. So let's put that matter to rest once and for all," he said.

He questioned the rationale for introducing Chinese when Ghana is already struggling to provide enough teachers to effectively teach French, a language he said is particularly important given the country's proximity to Francophone neighbours.

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

On Arabic, the President clarified that its teaching in some schools is not the result of a new policy to introduce the language across all public schools.

He explained that English-Arabic schools were established during the administration of late former President Jerry John Rawlings to encourage Muslim communities who had been reluctant to send their children to school because of concerns about religious conversion.

According to President Mahama, Arabic teacher training has, therefore, been ongoing to support the teaching of the language in those English-Arabic schools.