The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA) has indicated that it did not approve a controversial textbook which makes various “inaccurate” claims about Christianity and religion.
It has, therefore, called for the withdrawal of the textbook, “History of Ghana for Basic Schools-Learners’ Book Four” whose content is causing an uproar on social media from the market.
In a press release dated May 25, NaCCA indicated that the withdrawal is to allow for further checks and ensure that the issues raised with the content are resolved.
It stated that although the book from Excellence Series underwent the standard approval procedure, the content circulating on social media on ‘disadvantages of Christianity’ was not material they approved during the process.
They stated that the content is, thus, not the true reflection of what NaCCA approved.
NaCCA said the revelation therefore come as as surprise and stated that the material in question was not an approved content material by NaCCA.
The statement was signed by the Director-General, Prof Edward Appiah.
NaCCA added that “management of the Council has requested the publishers of the textbook to withdraw the material from the market until such time that issues with respect to the publication of the book have been resolved.”
This comes after some parents raised concerns about the contents of the history textbook.
In the book entitled History of Ghana for Basic Schools, authored by Francis Benjamin Appiah and Henry David Appiah, a section lists some points as the negative effects of Christian missionary activities.
The points listed including ‘Christianity has led to an increase in poverty in Ghana and also stating that religion is a major cause of physical and doctrinal disputes in Ghana, did not sit well with many parents, igniting a debate on social media.
Meanwhile, NaCCA has urged the general public to continue to bring to its notice, any suspicious material in the market that may be deemed to have been emanated from NaCCA.
They noted that “NaCCA will not hesitate to sanction publishers who publish materials without recourse to the established protocols of the Council. We urge the public not to hesitate to contact our outfit for information on the right content and materials for use in our pre-tertiary schools.”