Distasteful ‘History of Ghana’ textbooks not approved – NaCCA

The National Council for Curriculum Assessment (NaCCA) has said it has not approved the three controversial textbooks making waves on social media – History of Ghana Textbook 3 by Badu Nkansah Publications, History of Ghana for Basic 6 and Golden English Basic 4 by Golden Publications.

In a statement signed by its acting director-general John Mensah Anang on Monday, 15 March 2021, NaCCA said:

“The following textbooks currently making waves in the media have not been approved for use in schools: History of Ghana for Basic 6 by Golden Publications which carries distasteful information about Dr Kwame Nkrumah and the CPP. History of Ghana Textbook 3 by Badu Nkansah Publications which features “A song that shows the Ewes identity” Golden English Basic 4 by Golden Publications, which displays “Efo agrees to prepare the juju for the players” on page 17.”

“Authors make inappropriate references to personalities and ethnic groups which are deemed unfortunate, distasteful and are in contradiction with NaCCA’s Book Submission Guidelines and Approval Methodology which guide the work of publishers and authors,” it added.

It indicated that it has met with the management and leadership of the Golden Publication and asked them to withdraw the “unapproved offending books” from the market and submit them for assessment and approval.

“We are firmly on the ground with respect to the fight the use of unapproved books in schools and all culprits will be duly dealt with according to the law.”

The Council further asked the publisher to “issue an unequivocal apology through the electronic, print, and social media.”

It added: “Failure to comply with this directive will attract sanctions.”

Meanwhile, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, North Tongu MP, has served notice he will file an urgent parliamentary question to request for the education minister to appear before the House to answer questions on the alleged bigotry textbooks.

He is seeking among other things to establish: “Whether the minister is aware of the said books in question; whether they have been approved and what steps is the government is taking to purge the schools and book shops from offensive, divisive and incendiary publications of such nature?”

“This is to notify all concerned that I have filed an urgent parliamentary question requesting the Minister for Education to appear before the House and respond to the two bigoted publications in issue,” Ablakwa posted on Facebook.

He added: “The text of my urgent question is as follows: “To ask the Honourable Minister responsible for Education whether the publications titled: History of Ghana, Text Book 3 by Badu Nkansah Publications authored by Badu Nkansah and Nelly Martinson Anim and Golden English Basic 4 authored by Okyere Baafi Alexander both of which contain bigoted content targeted at the Ewe ethnic group have come to his Ministry’s attention; were they approved by any of his Ministry’s agencies and what steps Government is taking to purge our schools and book shops from offensive, divisive and incendiary publications of this nature?”