Render apology or sack Haruna Iddrisu over Chinese, Arabic Language policy -NPP to Mahama

Party Questions Contradictory Government Positions
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has called on President John Dramani Mahama to either apologise to Ghanaians or dismiss Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu over a controversy surrounding the reported introduction of Arabic and Chinese into Ghana’s school curriculum. In a statement issued by its Education Sector Policy Committee, the NPP said the President’s recent denial that his government had approved a new policy to introduce the languages into schools was inconsistent with earlier actions attributed to the Education Ministry and its agencies. The party argued that the government must clarify whether Mr Iddrisu acted with presidential and Cabinet approval or proceeded without authorisation.

NPP’s Account of the Policy Process
According to the NPP, Mr Iddrisu announced on April 24, 2026, that Chinese and Arabic would become compulsory foreign languages at the secondary school level. The party said the minister attributed the initiative to President Mahama’s vision for education.
The NPP further claimed that the announcement was followed by work by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA) to develop a curriculum covering the languages. It said approximately 160 writers and reviewers were engaged over several months to work on the revised curriculum, which included Arabic and Chinese among foreign-language options.
The party said the revised document was presented to Mr. Iddrisu on July 22, 2026.

Minister Referred Curriculum for Implementation Preparation
The NPP alleged that Mr. Iddrisu did not reject the curriculum document but instead referred it to the Ghana Education Service (GES). According to the party, the minister directed the GES to bring the curriculum to “full implementation readiness” and prepare for its execution in schools.

The NPP said subsequent government clarification that Arabic and Chinese would be optional at the basic school level failed to resolve the central issue because the Education Minister’s earlier announcement had specifically described the languages as compulsory at the secondary school level.

Teacher Training Raises Further Questions
The party also pointed to a September 3, 2026, training programme organised by NaCCA with support from the Confucius Institute at the University of Cape Coast.
The NPP said the programme involved training teachers to implement the Chinese language curriculum and argued that the development indicated that preparations had progressed beyond a mere proposal. It questioned how such activities could have taken place if there had been no government policy or authorisation behind the initiative.

NPP Questions Public Expenditure
The opposition party also raised concerns about public funds allegedly committed to the curriculum process.
It questioned why writers, reviewers, technical personnel and other resources were deployed to develop the curricula and prepare for implementation if, as the President stated, there was “absolutely no new policy.”  The NPP argued that the government should account for any expenditure incurred in connection with the initiative.

The party also referred to President Mahama’s concerns about the availability of qualified Chinese-language teachers, particularly in the context of an existing shortage of French teachers.
It questioned why implementation preparations and teacher training had advanced if teacher availability had not yet been adequately addressed.

NPP Distinguishes Arabic From Chinese
The NPP said Arabic and Chinese should not be treated as identical cases.
According to the party, Arabic was already available as an optional subject at the junior high school level before the current government assumed office.
Chinese, however, was characterised as part of a new process in 2026 involving curriculum development, ministerial review, implementation preparations and teacher training. The party said the distinction was important to understanding the controversy and determining how the policy process unfolded.

Call for Accountability
The NPP said the dispute raised broader questions about ministerial authority, coordination within government and accountability for decisions involving public resources. It maintained that if the Education Minister acted without presidential or Cabinet authority, he should be removed from office.
Conversely, the party said that if Mr. Iddrisu acted with the knowledge or authority of the President or Cabinet, President Mahama should apologise to Ghanaians and explain how the policy was developed and why the public was subsequently told that no such policy existed.

Parents and Teachers Deserve Clarity
The NPP concluded that parents, teachers, school administrators and taxpayers deserved clear and consistent communication from government on changes to the education system.
The party therefore reiterated its demand that President Mahama either apologise to Ghanaians or dismiss Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu over the controversy.