Kindergarten pupils and students in junior high schools across Ghana are set to study coding, artificial intelligence (AI), electronics and civic ethics under a revised basic school curriculum being developed by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA).
The Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, announced the proposal at the Government Accountability Series in Accra on Monday, saying the new curriculum is designed to equip learners with digital and technological skills from an early age.
He said NaCCA had completed work on the revised curriculum, which would now be submitted to the Ministry of Education before being forwarded to President John Dramani Mahama, Cabinet and Parliament for approval.
Mr Iddrisu described the document as a "smart start curriculum" aimed at strengthening science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education at the basic school level.
"We have promised to introduce coding, electronics, artificial intelligence and pivot into the basic education curriculum," he said.
The Minister explained that the revised curriculum would also place greater emphasis on civic ethics, responsible citizenship and the prudent use of public resources.
According to him, the review forms part of government's efforts to strengthen basic education, which he said has received less attention than secondary education over the years despite being the foundation for literacy, numeracy and critical thinking.
Mr Iddrisu noted that plans to introduce AI, robotics, coding and electronics into basic education were first announced at a digital education conference in June, adding that the curriculum review committee has now completed its work.
He said the curriculum would take effect only after receiving Cabinet approval and being laid before Parliament.
The Education Minister, however, did not indicate when the revised curriculum would be introduced in schools or outline how teachers would be trained to deliver the new subjects.
The Ministry of Education is yet to publish the full curriculum document and its implementation roadmap.