Edem Agbana’s Petition: Confronting Colonial Narratives in Ghana’s JHS Textbooks

In a significant move that has ignited national discourse on educational content, Hon. Eric Edem Agbana, Member of Parliament for Ketu North, has announced plans to formally petition the Ghana Education Service (GES) over what he terms “dehumanising” and historically inaccurate material in a Junior High School (JHS) Social Studies textbook. The controversy centers on the Aki-Ola Series textbook, which reportedly includes content framing the “Benefits Ghana has derived from colonisation.” This action places the critical issue of decolonizing the curriculum and ensuring historical integrity in Ghanaian education at the forefront of public debate.

Introduction: A Call for Educational Rectitude

The announcement by Hon. Agbana transcends a routine parliamentary concern; it is a direct challenge to the foundational narratives presented to Ghana’s youngest learners. The core of the issue is not merely a factual disagreement but a profound question about identity, memory, and the pedagogical purpose of history. Presenting colonisation—a system characterised by exploitation, violence, and cultural suppression—as a beneficial force is seen by the MP and many historians as a distortion that undermines student dignity and perpetuates a colonial mindset. This article provides a comprehensive, SEO-optimised analysis of the controversy, exploring its historical roots, educational implications, and the necessary steps for curriculum reform in Ghana.

Key Points of the Controversy

• The Subject: Specific pages in the Aki-Ola Series Social Studies textbook for Junior High School (JHS) students.
• The Allegation: Content lists “Benefits Ghana has derived from colonisation,” which MP Edem Agbana condemns as “false,” “dehumanising,” and a distortion of historical fact.
• The MP’s Stance: Colonisation is defined as “a systematic violation of human rights, dignity, and identity” with lasting “troubling scars.” He argues such narratives risk warping young learners’ understanding.
• The Proposed Action: A formal petition to the Ghana Education Service (GES) to immediately review, recall the textbooks, and remove “harmful perspectives” from the national curriculum.
• The Broader Demand: An education system anchored in “truth, justice, and historical integrity” that advances societal progress and the “worth and dignity” of the Ghanaian child.

Background: Context of Colonial History in Ghanaian Education

A Legacy of External Narratives

For decades following independence, Ghana’s education system, like many in post-colonial Africa, grappled with curricula largely inherited from the colonial administration. These curricula often framed colonial history from a European “civilising mission” perspective, minimising or justifying exploitation while highlighting infrastructure and administrative “gifts.” The integration of such perspectives into locally published textbooks, sometimes without critical re-examination, has been a persistent challenge in the project of decolonizing African education.

The Ghanaian Curriculum Framework

The Ghana Education Service, under the Ministry of Education, is responsible for approving and monitoring textbooks for basic and senior high schools. The official curriculum aims to instil national identity, patriotism, and critical thinking. However, the process of textbook approval and periodic review can be lengthy, and materials may remain in circulation for years. This incident highlights the gap that can exist between curriculum objectives and the specific content of approved learning materials.

The Aki-Ola Series in Context

The Aki-Ola Series is a known publication in the Ghanaian educational market. While widely used, this controversy points to the need for rigorous, diverse, and critical review panels for all educational resources. The specific content in question—portraying benefits of colonisation—clashes directly with the consensus of modern Ghanaian and African historiography, which emphasises the extractive, oppressive, and disruptive nature of colonial rule.

Analysis: Unpacking the Implications

Hon. Agbana’s petition raises several interconnected layers of analysis, from pedagogical ethics to national psychology.

1. Pedagogical and Psychological Impact on Learners

Presenting colonisation as beneficial to the colonised is a profound cognitive and emotional distortion for young students. For Ghanaian children, whose ancestors were subject to forced labour, land alienation, cultural denigration, and economic exploitation, such a narrative is inherently dehumanising. It forces a cognitive dissonance where their implied identity is one of passive beneficiaries rather than active agents of their own history. Educational psychology stresses that learners construct identity and self-worth partly through historical narratives. A curriculum that implicitly devalues their heritage can impact self-esteem and civic engagement negatively.

2. Historical Accuracy vs. Political Narrative

The claim that colonisation had “benefits” is a historically contested and often weaponised argument. While colonial infrastructure (railways, ports) existed, its primary purpose was resource extraction and administrative control, not local development. The economic, social, and political structures were designed to disadvantage Africans. A balanced history acknowledges complex legacies but does not frame oppression as a gift. The textbook’s framing, as described, appears to lack this critical nuance and instead promotes a neo-colonial narrative that absolves the colonial project of its core violence.

3. The Role of the State and GES

The GES has a legal and ethical mandate to ensure that educational materials align with national values and historical truth. This incident tests that mandate. If the material was officially approved, it points to flaws in the vetting process. If it was an authorial error within an approved series, it necessitates a swift recall and revision. The state’s response will signal its commitment to educational sovereignty—the right of a nation to define its own history for its children without external or neo-colonial distortions.

4. Legal and Policy Framework

Ghana’s Education Act, 2008 (Act 778), and subsequent policies empower the Ministry of Education and GES to set standards for curriculum and learning materials. While there is no specific law against “dehumanising” content, the Act’s emphasis on promoting “Ghanaian values” and “patriotism” provides a policy basis for action. The GES can invoke its quality assurance mechanisms to recall offending materials. This case may catalyse a review of the textbook approval guidelines to explicitly mandate anti-racist, anti-colonial, and historically accurate content review.

5. Comparative Perspective: Africa’s Curriculum Reforms

Ghana is not alone. Across Africa, there is a growing movement to review and decolonise curricula. Countries like South Africa and Kenya have undertaken major curriculum reforms to centre African histories, philosophies, and contributions. The African Union’s Agenda 2063 calls for an “African Renaissance” anchored in cultural identity and historical awareness. Agbana’s petition aligns with this continental push for educational self-determination.

Practical Advice: For Stakeholders

The path forward requires coordinated action from various stakeholders in the education ecosystem.

For the Ghana Education Service (GES) and Ministry of Education:

• Immediate Review & Recall: Act on the petition by commissioning an independent, expert panel to review the specific textbook content and all JHS Social Studies materials.
• Emergency Directive: Issue a circular to all schools using the Aki-Ola Series (or any book with similar content) to suspend the use of the offending pages or the entire textbook pending review.
• Curriculum Audit: Launch a comprehensive audit of all approved textbooks for basic education to identify and correct other instances of historical distortion, especially regarding colonial and pre-colonial history.
• Revise Approval Protocols: Strengthen the textbook vetting committee to include mandatory representation from historians, cultural studies experts, and civil society organisations focused on African identity.

For School Heads and Teachers:

• Critical Pedagogy: Even with approved texts, teachers must be empowered to teach critically. Professional development should focus on how to address sensitive historical topics, present multiple perspectives (including African agency), and correct textbook errors in the classroom.
• Supplementary Materials: Proactively use approved supplementary readers, documentaries, and resources from institutions like the Ghana National Archives or the W.E.B. Du Bois Centre that offer balanced historical perspectives.
• Safe Classroom Dialogue: Create a classroom environment where students can discuss and question historical narratives without fear, fostering critical thinking over rote memorisation.

For Parents and Guardians:

• Engage with Content: Review your child’s Social Studies textbook. Discuss the lessons with them. Ask questions like, “Whose story is being told here?” and “What might be missing?”
• Support Advocacy: Join Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) and community forums to advocate for accurate, empowering history education. Support the MP’s petition through constructive civic engagement.
• Provide Alternative Narratives: Share family stories, local history, and reputable books on Ghanaian and African history to counterbalance potential textbook biases.

For Textbook Publishers and Authors:

• Ethical Responsibility: Recognise the profound responsibility of writing for children. Subject manuscripts to rigorous historical peer review by experts in African history.
• Centre African Perspectives: Ensure narratives centre African agency, resilience, and the devastating impacts of colonialism, while acknowledging the complex post-colonial challenges.
• Transparent Sourcing: Clearly cite historical sources and academic consensus. Avoid perpetuating discredited colonial-era tropes.

FAQ: Addressing Common Questions

Q1: Is it not historically accurate to say colonialism had *some* infrastructural benefits?

A: The existence of infrastructure built during colonial rule is a historical fact. However, the pedagogical framing is key. Stating this as a “benefit derived by Ghana” implies a net positive gift, which is a value-laden and misleading conclusion. A historically accurate approach would contextualise such infrastructure: it was built for extraction, often using forced labour, and served colonial economic interests first. The narrative should focus on the primary purpose and the overwhelming human cost, not a simplistic list of “benefits.”

Q2: Does this petition amount to “erasing” history or being overly sensitive?

A: No. The petition seeks to correct a distorted narrative, not erase facts. It asks for history that acknowledges the full truth—the violence, exploitation, and resistance alongside any complex legacies. Teaching that colonisation was “dehumanising” is not sensitivity; it is historical accuracy. The goal is to replace a false, glorifying narrative with one that respects the experiences and dignity of Ghanaians, which is essential for genuine historical understanding and healing.

Q3: What specific action can the GES take beyond recalling one book?

A: The GES can and should:

1. Issue a national directive clarifying the approved, accurate historical perspective on colonialism for all JHS Social Studies.
2. Convene a temporary committee of historians and educators to rapidly produce a vetted supplementary module on “The Colonial Experience in Ghana” for immediate use.
3. Accelerate the scheduled review cycle for the entire Social Studies curriculum and associated textbooks.
4. Mandate retraining for all textbook publishers on the national curriculum’s core values and historical standards.

Q4: How does this relate to the broader “decolonize education” movement?

A: This incident is a specific, tangible example of the global decolonization of education movement. It’s about dismantling the lingering intellectual and psychological structures of colonialism within formal schooling. It calls for curricula that:

• Centre local knowledge systems and histories.
• Promote critical thinking over acceptance of given narratives.
• Foster pride in African heritage and agency.
• Equip students to analyse power structures, including those in historical narratives.

Agbana’s petition is a national-level intervention in this movement within the Ghanaian context.

Conclusion: Towards an Education of Dignity and Truth

The petition by Hon. Edem Agbana is more than a complaint about a textbook page; it is a pivotal moment for Ghana’s educational conscience. It forces a national reckoning with the stories we tell our children about themselves and their past. An education system that inadvertently teaches children that their ancestors were beneficiaries of their own oppression is not an education of liberation but one of continued mental colonisation.

The Ghana Education Service now faces a clear duty: to act decisively to correct this specific error and to initiate a systemic review to prevent future occurrences. The goal must be a Social Studies curriculum—and textbooks—that do not deny the past, misstate the present, or undermine the future. Such a curriculum, grounded in historical truth and human dignity, will not only advance the progress of Ghanaian society but will also nurture a generation of citizens secure in their identity, critical in their thinking, and committed to a just and equitable future. The children of Ghana deserve nothing less than an honest account of their history, one that honours their ancestors’ struggles and celebrates their enduring resilience.

Sources and Further Reading

• Official Statement from the Office of the MP for Ketu North, Eric Edem Agbana (February 17, 2026).
• Ghana Education Service (GES). Curriculum for Basic Schools: Social Studies. National Implementation Guidelines.
• Ghana Education Act, 2008 (Act 778).
• Agyeman, J. (2003). Decolonizing the Curriculum: African Perspectives on Education. Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA).
• wa Thiong’o, N. (1986). Decolonising the Mind: The Politics of Language in African Literature. Heinemann.
• Nabudere, D. W. (2011). “The Importance of African History in the Decolonisation of Knowledge.” African Journal of Political Science and International Relations, 5(4), 221-228.
• UNESCO. (2020). Education in a Post-COVID World: Nine Ideas for Public Action. (Includes themes on decolonising knowledge systems).
• Historical Scholarship on the Economic and Social Impact of British Colonial Rule in the Gold Coast/Ghana, e.g., works by Ivor Wilks, A.G. Hopkins, and recent publications by the Institute of African Studies, University of Ghana.