A former Deputy Minister of Education and current Member of Parliament for Assin South Rev John Ntim Fordjour, has raised alarm over what he describes as a covert introduction of LGBTQ-related concepts into Ghana’s basic school curriculum through a newly issued teachers’ manual.
According to Ntim Fordjour, the manual—designed as a pedagogical guide to direct how teachers deliver instruction and define core learning concepts—contains material that promotes LGBTQ ideology, particularly within Physical Education.
Speaking on the matter on Metro TV’s Good Evening Ghana show with Paul Adom Otchere, the MP, who is a vocal advocate and lead sponsor of the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill currently before Parliament, alleged that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government “smuggled” the content into the curriculum after taking office.
To support his claims, he cited excerpts from the manual which, he said, define gender identity as “a person’s deeply felt internal experience of gender, which may or may not correspond with sex assigned at birth,” and acknowledge identities beyond the male–female binary.
He argued that such definitions are highly sensitive, inconsistent with Ghana’s constitutional understanding of gender, and inappropriate for basic-level instruction.
Ntim Fordjour further noted that the teachers’ manual was produced in 2025 and has since been printed and distributed nationwide under the current government, led by the Education Ministry and NaCCA.
The former Deputy Minister questioned how the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA)—the statutory body responsible for approving all curriculum frameworks and instructional materials—could sanction such content.
“This is a product of NaCCA,” he said. “I understand the framework for curriculum approval. I served as Deputy Minister for four years and know how curricula are developed. Any concept to be taught must first be embedded in the curriculum, after which teacher guides and learning materials are produced—all subject to NaCCA’s approval.”
He stressed that during the tenure of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Teachers Manual covered only Year One, and at no point were such concepts included.
According to him, the Year Two Teachers Manual, developed and printed in July 2025 and subsequently issued to schools under the NDC administration, introduced the controversial material, raising questions about who authorised its approval prior to printing and distribution.
“Was it the minister or NaCCA?” he asked.
Reinforcing his concerns, Ntim Fordjour argued that LGBTQ advocacy is not a “low-level agenda” but a high-level global policy issue, expressing surprise that Ghana would advance such content at a time when, he claimed, even countries like the United States are reassessing their approach to LGBTQ matters.
He concluded by calling for urgent clarity and accountability from the education ministry and NaCCA on how the material entered the teachers’ manual and under whose authority it was approved.
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