NaCCA confirms controversial textbooks with offensive tribal depictions is not approved

The National Council for Curriculum Assessment says it has not approved the controversial textbooks which have sparked criticism on social media from some Ghanaians particularly Ewes over its stereotypical content about the ethnic group.

The North Tongu MP, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has filed an urgent question in Parliament for the Education Minister, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum to answer. However, in an earlier statement, the Council asked one of the publishers of the books, Badu Nkansah Publications, to withdraw its book which was said to have featured a song that gives a negative identity to Ewes.

It stressed that in each of these books and others discovered on social media, the authors made inappropriate references to personalities and ethnic groups which are deemed unfortunate and distasteful, and contradicts NaCCA’s Book Submission Guidelines.

Additionally, the said books are also not listed on the Council’s website among other approved books for academic work.

NaCCA gave the assurance that it has also met with Golden Publication, and asked them to withdraw all the books with offensive references from the market and submit copies for assessment and approval which they have complied with.

Meanwhile, Publishers of the History and English textbooks for Primary Three and Four have apologised for using stereotypical language to describe Ewes in their works. This follows public outcry against the company’s works.

The Publishing company, Badu Nkansah Limited, has therefore taken steps to recall all its textbooks titled ‘History of Ghana book three’ and ‘Golden English Book’ from bookshops across the country.

The company’s Spokesperson, Mark Osei told GBC there are investigations to find out how copies of the textbooks yet to be approved by the National Council for Curriculum Assessment got onto the market.

In a related development, a group calling itself concerned Ewe Youth is embarking on an exercise to retrieve all basic three and four English and History textbooks by Badu Nkansah publications which portray Ewes in a derogatory manner with the intention to burn them.

This is in protest against what it describes as an unfair portrayal of Ewes as an Ethnic group.

Convener for the group Philip Banini told GBC that the textbooks in question are being used in schools despite the fact that they are yet to be approved.