Ahanta Language Orthography approved for schools

The Bureau of Ghana Languages has formally approved the Ahanta Language Orthography for use in schools across Ahanta land, paving the way for the structured teaching and eventual examination of the language at both the basic and senior high school levels.

The approval was communicated in a letter dated January 15, 2026, addressed to the Member of Parliament for Ahanta West, Mavis Kuukua Bissue.

According to the Bureau, the endorsement followed an extensive review of a paper submitted on the Ahanta Language Orthography, as well as a thorough evaluation of the work carried out by the Ahanta Language Project Committee.

As part of the process, the Bureau constituted a three member team to assess the development and implementation of the orthography. Working with officials of the Ahanta West Municipal Education Office and coordinators of the pilot Ahanta language teaching programme, the team embarked on field visits to selected schools where the language was being taught.

During the visits, the assessment team engaged teachers, pupils, parents, traditional authorities, opinion leaders, church leaders and elders to confirm the effectiveness, classroom usage and community acceptance of the orthography.

The Bureau reported that the outcome of the assessment was highly encouraging. It noted that the Ahanta Language Orthography meets the required standards and that the pilot teaching programme has yielded positive results.

Teachers, learners and parents were said to have shown strong enthusiasm for the formal study of the indigenous language, while traditional leaders expressed keen interest in seeing Ahanta taught widely across the area.

“In the light of these findings, we officially endorse the use of the Ahanta Language Orthography in schools on Ahanta land and for the development of learning materials,” the Bureau stated.

The Bureau described the endorsement as a major milestone toward making the Ahanta language examinable at the basic and senior high school levels. It further assured stakeholders of its readiness to certify textbooks and other instructional materials developed using the approved orthography for educational use.