A political and educational firestorm is brewing over a Senior High School (SHS) teachers’ manual that has ignited controversy for its handling of gender identity. Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, former Deputy Education Minister and Assin South MP, is calling for the contentious textbook and related materials to be thoroughly reviewed and cleared of unauthorised content.
- Speaking on Joy FM’s Top Story on Tuesday, Rev. Fordjour emphasised the structured process that should govern curriculum development. “It must be properly looked at and comprehensively reviewed… You don’t sneak in or smuggle foreign material into it,” he said, condemning what he perceives as a breach of protocol.
The manual in question, which includes a definition of gender identity, bears a 2025 copyright and was published by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA) with support from the Education Ministry. Fordjour questioned how such material entered classrooms without clear accountability or transparency.
“They must explain. There is a lot of probing to do,” he added, demanding that responsible officials provide answers.
As pressure mounts, Fordjour and other critics want the Minister of Education and NaCCA leadership to publicly justify the manual’s contents and withdraw the material. Authorities have already instructed teachers to return hard copies of the manual, signaling steps toward addressing the dispute.
