By Daniel Bampoe
The simmering national debate over sexuality, education, and cultural values has reignited following a strongly worded press conference by the Minority in Parliament, which accused the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) of silence, inconsistency, and deliberate evasiveness over controversial gender-related content found in a Senior High School (SHS) teacher manual.
Addressing the media in Accra, Minority lawmakers framed the controversy not merely as an administrative lapse within the education sector, but as a broader moral, legislative, and governance failure that strikes at the heart of public trust, parliamentary integrity, and national values.
A Moral And Institutional Alarm
Speaking from what he described as a position of faith, conscience, and public responsibility, the MP for Tafo, Vincent Ekow Assafuah said the inclusion of redefined concepts of sex, sexuality, sexual orientation, sexual rights, and gender identity in a Physical Education and Health (Elective) Teacher Manual was fundamentally incompatible with the religious, cultural, biological, and moral foundations.
He stressed that his concerns were informed not only by religious conviction but also by firsthand experience within government, noting familiarity with how curriculum materials are developed, reviewed, approved, printed, and defended when public scrutiny arises.
According to the Minority, the presence of such content in a state-approved manual could not be dismissed as accidental.
They described it as an ideologically driven insertion with far-reaching implications for parental authority, moral formation, and Parliament’s constitutional oversight responsibilities.
A Recurring National Flashpoint
The controversy follows National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, NaCCA’s withdrawal of printed copies of the Year Two Physical Education and Health (Elective) Teacher Manual after public backlash over sections dealing with gender identity.
The manual, developed to support the new SHS curriculum, had already been approved, printed with public funds, and distributed nationwide before concerns were raised.
NaCCA has since apologised and issued a revised version, stating that it now reflects Ghanaian values and a biological understanding of gender.
However, the Minority argues that the withdrawal came only after public exposure, not proactive institutional safeguards.
They further recalled that Ghana has previously experienced similar national backlash.
In 2017, related concepts were introduced into curriculum discussions, prompting strong resistance from religious bodies and civil society, and assurances from government at the time that such content would be removed.
Government In Opposition vs Government In Power
Central to the Minority’s critique is what they describe as a stark contradiction between the NDC’s posture in opposition and its conduct in government.
According to the Minority, while in opposition the NDC framed LGBTQ-related issues and family values as urgent moral emergencies, insisting that failure to pass the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill amounted to endorsement of homosexuality.
Religious leaders, traditional authorities, and the wider public were assured that once the NDC gained power, decisive legislative action would follow.
Today, the Minority argues, the same urgency has disappeared. Despite controlling both the Executive and the Majority in Parliament, the government has remained silent even as controversial content surfaced in officially approved teaching materials.
Selective Urgency In Parliament
To underscore its point, the Minority cited the legislative record of the current Parliament, noting that dozens of bills—many economic and fiscal in nature—have been laid, fast-tracked, and passed under Certificates of Urgency since the First Session began.
These include amendments to tax laws, levies, public financial management statutes, energy sector bills, and social protection legislation.
According to the Minority, this demonstrates that when the Executive considers an issue important, parliamentary time and urgency are readily applied.
By contrast, they argue, an issue previously presented as a defining moral question for the nation has been conspicuously denied similar treatment.
“In parliamentary terms, urgency is not accidental,” the Minority stressed. “It is directed. And urgency, therefore, is a choice.”
The Anti-LGBTQ Bill And Parliamentary Confusion
Clarifying the legislative position, the Minority stated that the previous Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill lapsed automatically with the dissolution of the last Parliament, in line with established parliamentary convention.
They explained that the bill was therefore properly reintroduced in the current Parliament as a Private Member’s Bill and duly placed on the Order Paper.
However, within 24 hours, it was removed at the instance of the Majority Leader.
The explanation offered—that the Majority Leader believed the bill had already been passed—was described as unacceptable and contrary to parliamentary practice, where the status of bills is governed by official records and Standing Orders, not assumptions.
Whether by negligence or design, the Minority said, the effect has been the same: the frustration of a bill that was once loudly championed.
A Deeper Historical Context
The Minority also urged Ghanaians to recall that Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) was formally introduced into Ghana’s education policy framework between 2012 and 2016 under an NDC administration, in collaboration with international partners including UNFPA.
They accused the NDC of political inconsistency, noting that the party later distanced itself from CSE during the 2019 national backlash, attributing responsibility to the NPP despite its own foundational role.
According to the Minority, the current controversy over teacher manuals reflects a recurring pattern—policy introduction through administrative channels, followed by political silence when public resistance emerges.
Demands For Accountability
In response to the unfolding situation, the Minority outlined a series of demands, including the immediate withdrawal of all teaching and learning materials containing LGBTQ-related content from schools, and a transparent, inclusive review process involving Parliament, religious bodies, traditional authorities, parents, civil society, education experts, and teacher unions.
They also called for the dismissal of the Director-General of NaCCA and the Chairperson of its Board for what they described as failures of oversight and breaches of public trust, as well as a full parliamentary inquiry into the development, approval, funding, and circulation of the materials.
A Call Beyond Politics
Framing the issue as one that transcends party lines, the Minority appealed to religious leaders, particularly Christian bodies, parents, traditional authorities, and civil society organisations to examine the withdrawn manual and speak out.
“This is not a partisan matter,” the statement concluded. “It is a question of national values, legislative integrity, and the moral direction of our education system.”
