Haruna Iddrisu, Education Minister
A newly introduced Teacher’s Manual on Sexual and Reproductive Health for second-year Senior High School students has triggered a wave of public controversy, with parents, religious bodies and sections of civil society raising concerns over its content and perceived implications for the country’s cultural and moral values.
The manual, developed under the Physical Education and Health (Elective) curriculum for Senior High Schools, seeks to provide teachers with structured guidance on explaining sexual and reproductive health (SRH) to adolescents.
It outlines national health statistics, defines key concepts relating to sex, sexuality and gender, and underscores the importance of consent in sexual relations.
According to the document, sexual and reproductive health remains a critical public health issue in Ghana despite some progress in recent years.
It notes that approximately 1.7 percent of adults are living with HIV, with prevalence higher among women (2.1 percent) than men (1.2 percent).
While general awareness of HIV is widespread, the manual admits that detailed knowledge on prevention remains limited, particularly among young people.
The manual further highlights barriers faced by adolescents in accessing sexual and reproductive health services.
It states that only 17.6 percent of teenagers have received services such as contraception, treatment for sexually transmitted infections, or pregnancy-related care.
It also points to disparities in contraceptive use, indicating that about 25 percent of married women and 37 percent of unmarried but sexually active women use modern contraceptives, while usage among adolescents remains significantly lower.
These gaps, the manual argues, contribute to the nation’s relatively high adolescent fertility rate, with about 14 percent of girls aged 15 to 19 already having begun childbearing.
The document presents these figures as justification for comprehensive, age-appropriate sexual health education to improve health outcomes and reduce preventable risks.
However, it is the section on “Common Terms” that has drawn the sharpest criticism. The manual defines sex not only as biological characteristics but also as engagement in physical activities involving sexual organs.
It introduces concepts such as sexuality, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, describing gender identity as a person’s deeply felt internal experience of gender, which may not correspond with sex assigned at birth and may go beyond the male-female binary.
Critics argue that these definitions introduce concepts they consider controversial and inappropriate for the Senior High School level.
Some religious leaders and parent groups have expressed fear that the material could confuse students or promote values they say conflict with Ghanaian social norms.
The manual also includes a detailed explanation of consent, describing it as a voluntary, pressure-free agreement to engage in sexual activity, requiring continuous communication before, during and after such activity.
On November 18, 2025, President John Mahama reiterated his commitment to what he described as Ghana’s enduring family and moral values during a courtesy call on him by leaders of the Christian Council of Ghana in Accra.
The President stressed that a person’s gender is determined at birth and that the family unit remains the foundation of Ghana.
“A person’s gender is determined at birth, and the family is the foundation of our nation. That is our position. So, there are no questions or equivocations about what we believe,” President Mahama noted.
“We agree with the Speaker to relay the bill and let Parliament debate it, and then if there are any amendments or whatever that have to be done. If the Parliament of the people of Ghana endorses the bill, votes on it, and passes it, and it comes to me as President, I will sign it,” he stated in response to questions on the Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill.
A Daily Guide Report
