Ghana’s Ministry of Education is on a transformational path – redefining the future of AI in African education. At the heart of this transformation is a pioneering, African-led approach to integrating artificial intelligence (AI) in schools, one that is both responsible and contextually grounded.
The effort is being spearheaded by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA) – the Ministry’s agency responsible for curriculum development and quality assurance, ensuring that AI tools are aligned with Ghana’s educational vision and values, and the Centre for Distance Learning and Open Schooling (CENDLOS) –
In October 2024, the Ministry of Education, through NaCCA, introduced a new Senior High School (SHS) curriculum that shifts focus from rote memorisation to 21st-century skills and competencies, character development, and Ghanaian values.
This marked the first time Ghana has developed a curriculum that explicitly aims to instil national pride and prepare youth to contribute meaningfully to the country’s development.
The curriculum overhaul was bold—but it came with a challenge: how to retrain 68,000 teachers to deliver this ambitious program to 1.4 million students.
The Ministry of Education responded with a strategic plan that combined local leadership with global collaboration.
Through a partnership with Playlab.ai, a US nonprofit specialising in digital infrastructure, Transforming Teaching, Education & Learning (T-TEL), a Ghanaian non-governmental organisation, and Mastercard Foundation, the Ministry of Education sought to develop AI-powered tools tailored to Ghana’s curriculum.
The initiative received subsidised support from AWS and Anthropic to cover AI usage costs, enabling teachers to access the Apps free of charge.
The costs of PLC training, teacher manual, and learner materials development are being supported by T-TEL, with the support of the Mastercard Foundation, through an existing grant agreement with the Ministry of Education, which commenced in 2021.
The best description of this is a story of Ghanaian ownership, where AI is being used to amplify the expertise of teachers and support a curriculum that reflects Ghana’s national values, identity, and aspirations.
To ensure this, each Subject Specific App was developed by a team of Ghanaian curriculum experts, and every App reflects Ghanaian culture, values, attitudes, and educational philosophy.
Rigorous Testing Before Scale
The Ministry of Education has insisted on rigorous quality assurance to ensure that the AI apps are robust and reliable. A four-phase testing protocol ensures that every app meets high standards:
- Technical Accuracy Review – Verifies that AI app outputs align with the curriculum. At least 80% of the apps must be at least 80% accurate across 20 consecutive tests before advancing.
- Educational Quality Review – Curriculum writers assess the pedagogical value of the material, shifting focus from technical function to educational impact.
- User Experience Review – Teachers in pilot schools test the real-world functionality of the apps, evaluating both accuracy and classroom usability.
- Regional Testing – Assesses infrastructure and operational readiness in 40 schools.
This methodical approach builds trust and credibility, ensuring that only proven tools reach classrooms.
Integration, Not Disruption
One of the most innovative aspects of Ghana’s approach is its seamless integration of AI into existing systems. The tools are not generic; they are built and trained on locally developed materials, including teacher guides, learner resources, national values, and gender equality frameworks.
The result is a suite of apps that help teachers create assessments and lesson plans faster, more accurately, and in ways that resonate with Ghanaian learners.
The introduction of and training for these tools leverages Ghana’s existing professional learning architecture- weekly school-based Professional Learning Community (PLC) sessions. Introduced by the Ghana Education Service (GES) in May 2023, all 712 SHSs hold 90-minute PLC meetings each week.
These sessions provide a platform for Ghana’s 68,000 SHS teachers to collaborate, receive training, and improve their teaching. Nationwide, 84% of teachers attend PLC sessions every week. They have become the backbone of teacher professional development and the perfect platform for introducing AI tools.
GES is now using these PLCs to train teachers on how to use the apps, share feedback, and collaborate. QR codes linking to the curriculum microsite: www.curriculumresources.edu.gh and app resources are printed in PLC handbooks, making access seamless.
Early Results: Teachers Embrace the Change
In July 2025, during the initial phase of app development, 29 NaCCA staff were trained to build Subject-Specific Apps to support curriculum development, assessment, and instructional materials.
These tools were then tested by 71 teachers across Ghana, covering over 30 subjects. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive:
- 95% said lesson planning was significantly faster.
- 99% found no errors in the content produced.
- 93% of teachers reported satisfaction and plan to continue using the apps beyond PLC.
One teacher summed it up:
“For the first time, I feel equipped to deliver the curriculum as intended. The app doesn’t replace my expertise; it amplifies it.”
A Model for the Continent
As Ghana prepares for a national rollout in October 2025, the implications extend beyond its borders. Countries like Sierra Leone, Kenya, and Rwanda have expressed interest in replicating the model, recognising its potential to address similar challenges.
Ghana’s approach offers a replicable framework for other African nations:
- Scalable – Infrastructure is already in place.
- Culturally sensitive – AI is trained on local languages and values.
- Cost-effective – Leverages existing teacher development systems.
- Sustainable – Built-in content management and feedback loops ensure long-term viability.
This initiative aims to prove that AI can be deployed ethically, responsibly, and in ways that respect local contexts. It shows that African governments can lead innovation, not just adopt it, and Ghana’s blueprint may well become the foundation for a continent-wide transformation.
Speaking about the subject-specific App rollout and the use of AI in Ghana’s education, the Director General, Prof. Bekoe, said “NaCCA, together with the Ministry of Education and other agencies, are working with some AI and Apps initiatives such as L4H, Code Raccoon and other organisations in developing more Apps to aid teaching and learning in our schools.
We are also calling on all EdTech companies in Ghana with an interest in developing Apps to aid teaching and learning to contact NaCCA for guidelines and approval before making them available to the public.”
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