The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference has expanded its concerns over recent developments in Ghana’s education curriculum, warning that lapses in oversight and consultation could gradually erode the moral, cultural and social foundations of the country’s education system.
In a detailed press release issued on Friday, January 16, 2026, the Bishops explained that their intervention is driven by a broader concern for the complete formation of the Ghanaian child-intellectual, moral, emotional, social and spiritual. Signed by Most Rev. Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, Bishop of Sunyani and President of the Conference, the statement stressed that education must remain rooted in Ghana’s shared values while promoting critical thinking and academic excellence.
The Bishops noted that the controversy was triggered by the circulation of a Year 2 Senior High School Physical Education and Health Teacher’s Manual containing definitions and concepts that many parents, educators and citizens found inconsistent with Ghana’s cultural, biological and moral understanding of the human person. They said the incident caused widespread anxiety, particularly among families who feared that sensitive topics were being introduced without adequate consultation or parental involvement.
While welcoming clarification from the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA) that the officially approved national curriculum does not include LGBTQ-related lessons, the Bishops commended the withdrawal of the offending material and the issuance of a revised manual. However, they stressed that the issue should not be treated as an isolated error but as a sign of deeper weaknesses in curriculum development, editorial controls and accountability mechanisms.
According to the Bishops, public trust in education depends on transparency, inclusiveness and fidelity to constitutional and moral principles. They acknowledged the public advocacy of figures such as Prof. Godfred A. Bokpin and Mr. Moses Foh-Amoaning, whose calls for apology and independent review reflect widespread national concern and a demand for greater responsibility from education authorities.
Outlining their core convictions, the Bishops reaffirmed that parents are the primary educators of their children, with schools serving as partners rather than replacements in moral and value formation. They also emphasised the principles of age-appropriate learning, cultural and moral coherence, subsidiarity in governance, and democratic accountability, insisting that curriculum development must involve parents, teachers, religious bodies, civil society and traditional authorities.
In setting out a way forward, the Conference called on the Ministry of Education and NaCCA to conduct a comprehensive audit to determine how unauthorised content entered teacher materials and to strengthen safeguards against future lapses. They further proposed the establishment of ethical oversight committees made up of educators, theologians and cultural experts to vet sensitive materials, alongside regular stakeholder engagement and clearer channels for parental review and input.
GCBC-ON-CURRICULUM-CONTENT-FOR-SHS-STUDENTSThe Bishops concluded by urging parents, teachers, policymakers and religious leaders to stand together in protecting the soul of Ghanaian education. They stressed that education must not merely produce skilled workers but upright citizens guided by conscience, rooted in truth and committed to the common good, warning that when educational content drifts from Ghana’s moral and cultural roots, the result is not enlightenment but confusion and disorientation.
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