The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) has accused the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA) of being aware of the controversial “gender identity” content in a Senior High School teacher manual long before public outrage led to its withdrawal.
In an interview, NAGRAT President Jacob Anaba said the issue dated back to 2017, when similar content in the curriculum sparked widespread opposition and assurances were given that it would be removed. He described the reappearance of the subject in a teacher manual as surprising and deeply troubling, particularly since it was not part of the approved curriculum.
NaCCA recently withdrew printed copies of the Year Two Physical Education and Health (Elective) Teacher Manual after admitting that sections on “gender identity” did not align with Ghanaian cultural values. The manual, developed in 2024 to support the new SHS curriculum, had already been approved, printed with public funds and distributed nationwide before concerns were raised. A revised version has since been released.
Mr Anaba suggested the inclusion of the content was deliberate, accusing those responsible of undermining Ghana’s cultural identity. He said teachers eventually detected the issue and formally petitioned NaCCA, prompting the withdrawal of the manuals.
He explained that the problem went unnoticed for some time because Physical Education is taught by only a few teachers in most schools, making early detection difficult. According to him, NaCCA indicated it was correcting the manual by removing the disputed definitions, but NAGRAT rejected explanations that current officials merely “met” the content already included, insisting it be completely expunged.