Claim: Kindergarten pupils to start learning Chinese under Ghana’s new basic school curriculum
Source: Social Media(Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok)
Verdict: False
Researched by Charlotte Gbonsu
On July 20 2026, during the Government Accountability Series, the Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu mentioned the introduction of a revised education curriculum put together by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment(NaCCA).
On July 22, 2026, NaCCA officially presented the revised curriculum covering Kindergarten to Primary six to the Ministry of Education. Following the presentation and discussions about the proposed curriculum, conversations started on social media, and the topic gained traction.
On July 24 2026, a blog, Ghana Articles posted a quote card on Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok stating; “Kindergarten pupils to start learning Chinese under Ghana’s new Basic school curriculum.’’ The flyer had the image of the Education Minister.
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As of the time of publication, the Facebook post had attracted five likes, twenty five comments and ten shares. On Instagram it had attracted 2.7K likes, 779 comments and 73 reposts, while on Tiktok it had garnered 2866 likes, 839 comments, 759 shares.
GhanaFact found an article published by the state-owned Daily Graphic had a headline that read: “Kindergarten pupils to learn Chinese language in Ghanaian schools in new curriculum being introduced by Ministry of Education.” The story was published on July 23, 2026. We also found that Graphic made two posts about the claim on their Facebook page (here, here).
This fact-check will verify the claim.
Fact-check
GhanaFact reviewed Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu’s remarks on August 2, 2026, during the 68th Anniversary, Speech and Prize-Giving Day celebration of Pope John’s Senior High School and Minor Seminary in the Eastern Region, where he addressed the public on the proposed new curriculum.
According to the minister, the proposed curriculum does not include kindergarten pupils learning the Chinese language. He noted that the revised curriculum allows pupils from primary four to six upwards to choose to study foreign languages of their choice. These include French, Spanish, Chinese, Arabic, Italian or German.
‘‘I have heard commentaries and suggestions on comments attributed to the honorable minister. Let me use the opportunity of this ceremony to clarify and respond appropriately, that there is no intention by government to make Arabic and Chinese compulsory at any level of our education. That is not the thought and that is not the thinking of government,” the minister said ( from 5:54 onwards).
“So from kindergarten to primary 3 would be the use of local Ghanaian language. From primary 4 to primary six upwards we intend to make English language still (the) basic medium of instruction. But we will introduce three foreign languages optional for any learner to choose a language foreign of the choice of the learner.
“Whatever it is, this revised curriculum is now before the Ghana Education Service. I will accept their recommendations and I would implement their recommendations but to expose them to those foreign languages be it French, Spanish, Chinese, Arabic, Italian or German will remain optional but will be for purposes of upper primary in order that we are producing learners for the world.’’
Verdict
The claim is rated false!
