Prioritizing Arabic And Chinese Vs. Fixing Existing Foreign Language Gaps: The Case Of French Teacher Scarcity In Ghana

The scarcity of French language educators across Ghana’s basic education system represents a persistent institutional challenge, compounded by recent policy discourse surrounding the integration of additional foreign languages such as Arabic and Chinese, as proposed by the Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu. The proposal to make the two languages part of educational policy sparked nationwide debate on whether there was a deliberate agenda to popularise Islam or Islamic culture through language at the pre-tertiary school level.

While educational frameworks advocate for multilingual competency, the operational realities of primary and junior high schools (JHS) reveal systemic deficits in teacher availability for French, pedagogical continuity, and curriculum alignment. President Mahama emphasised that his cabinet has no intention of formulating or discussing any policy that would make Arabic and Chinese widespread at all pre-tertiary levels, nullifying what the sector minister told Ghanaians about the two new international languages. The President’s justification was that there is already a major challenge in securing teachers to teach French—a subject that has existed for over half a century in Ghana’s education system despite numerous educational reforms.

The scarcity of French teachers can be attributed to the following reasons:

1. SHIFTS IN ACADEMIC INCENTIVES AND YEAR-ABROAD PROGRAMMES

A primary driver of declining specialization in French language pedagogy is the restructuring of undergraduate immersion requirements. Historically, the mandatory full-year academic exchange in francophone nations—such as France or Canada—served as a major incentive for tertiary students. The replacement of these international immersion programmes with shorter, regional alternatives (e.g., institutions in neighboring francophone states such as Togo, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, etc.) has diminished student enthusiasm. Consequently, many undergraduate students downgrade French from a major field of study to a minor qualification, reducing the overall pool of certified language specialists.

2. PREFERENCE FOR SECONDARY ALLOCATION AND STRUCTURAL UNEMPLOYMENT

A distinct structural imbalance exists between the supply of language educators and their preferred level of institutional placement. A significant majority of French language graduates from public universities seek employment within Senior High Schools (SHS) rather than primary or JHS facilities. This preference has generated a surplus of qualified graduates awaiting post-secondary appointments, while basic education directorates face severe staffing shortages.

3. CAREER ADVANCEMENT AND VERTICAL MOBILITY DISTORTIONS

Vertical mobility within the public education service further exacerbates teacher attrition at the primary level. Educators holding diplomas or minors in French frequently secure study leave to pursue full degree programmes. Upon completion of these advanced credentials, teachers overwhelmingly transition to the SHS sector rather than returning to basic education institutions, permanently draining qualified personnel from foundational learning levels.

4. FOUNDATIONAL DEFICITS AND PEDAGOGICAL OVERLOAD

The systemic absence of early childhood and primary-level French instruction creates cumulative learning deficits. Learners entering JHS typically possess minimal prior exposure to the language, forcing JHS educators to abandon age-appropriate curricula in favor of remedial, foundational instruction. Diagnosing these learning gaps and adapting scheme-of-work frameworks to accommodate beginner-level competencies generates substantial workload pressure on JHS instructors, leading to professional fatigue and lower retention rates.

5. CURRICULUM REFORM AND ASSESSMENT MISMATCHES

The implementation of the Common Core Programme (CCP) curriculum introduced structural shifts in instructional design and learner evaluation. The initial administration of the revised Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) demonstrated a transition away from traditional guided-essay prompts toward unguided assessments. This shift toward open-ended literacy measures—executed without adequate structural preparation or foundational training at the primary level—placed additional strain on both educators and candidates attempting to meet updated performance standards.

When the first batch of JHS graduates under the new curriculum wrote the BECE in 2023/2024, there were changes in the setting of questions: whereas questions in the old system provided guidelines for writing essays, the new format offered no such guidance, which affected performance. This, coupled with the fact that basic schools lack French textbooks in most government institutions, was the last straw that broke the camel’s back.

KEY ANALYTICAL TAKEAWAYS

• Policy Incongruity

Expanding foreign language offerings (e.g., Arabic, Mandarin) without resolving existing administrative and supply-side constraints in French education risks exacerbating systemic inefficiencies.

• Structural Friction

Professional migration toward Senior High Schools creates a self-reinforcing deficit at the basic education level, undermining long-term student proficiency.