NaCCA withdraws SHS P.E teachers’ manual over gender concerns
The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA) has directed all teachers in possession of hard copies of the Senior High School (SHS) Physical Education & Health teachers’ manual to return them immediately.
NaCCA’s recall of the Physical Education & Health teachers’ manual follows concerns over a controversial definition of gender identity in the manual, which is currently in use in schools.
The Physical Education & Health manual defines gender identity as a person’s deeply felt internal experience of gender, which may or may not correspond to the sex assigned at birth.
The definition of gender in the NaCCA teachers manual sighted by Pretertiary.com states that gender may include being male, female, or a blend of both, going beyond a strictly binary concept.
The National Curriculum Council has, however, apologised over the definition of gender identity contained in the second cycle school Physical Education and Health teachers’ manual.
The apology was issued by NaCCA Board Chairman, Professor Vincent Assanful, who admitted that the inclusion of the controversial definition was an oversight and assured the public that the manual has been withdrawn for review.
Professor Assanful indicate that NaCCA has directed that all hard copies of the teachers’ manual currently in circulation be withdrawn, while a comprehensive review of the content is undertaken.
Responding to the concerns in an interview on Accra-based Adom FM, Professor Assanful acknowledged that the content should not have passed through the approval process unnoticed.
He stressed that the ongoing review would not be limited to the gender identity section alone but would cover the entire manual to ensure clarity, cultural sensitivity, and appropriateness for Ghanaian schools.
The NaCCA Board Chairman, Professor Assanful, further disclosed that he had instructed the Director-General of NaCCA to formally apologise to the public and clarify the Council’s position.
The manual was recalled after former Deputy Minister of Education and Assin South Member of Parliament Reverend John Ntim Fordjour accused the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government of covertly introducing LGBTQ-related content into the country’s school curriculum.
The Assin South MP made the allegation in a social media post on Tuesday, January 13, in which he criticised the printing and distribution of teacher manuals and other teaching and learning materials to schools.
“The NDC has printed and distributed Teacher Manuals and other Teaching and Learning Materials to promote LGBTQ, contrary to their deceptive rhetoric of being the party which abhors LGBTQ,” he stated.
He added, “We demand the immediate recall of all the Teacher Manuals and Textbooks propagating NDC’s LGBTQ agenda from schools,” he said, adding that affected portions of the curriculum must be reviewed and sanitised without delay.
The Reverend lawmaker also cautioned the government against using the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA) and the Ministry of Education to advance what he termed “this vile and evil agenda.”
The immediate past Education Minister further linked the alleged curriculum changes to the continued delay in Parliament’s consideration of the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill.
The Assin South Member of Parliament described the situation as “diabolical and dangerous”, arguing that it explains why the private member’s bill has not been placed on the Order Paper.
“Let us rise up to resist the NDC LGBTQ agenda,” Reverend Ntim Fordjour urged, calling on the public to oppose what he sees as an attempt to undermine Ghana’s values through the education system
