The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA) says it has not approved “What is happening to me?” a book which highlights same- sex attraction and masturbation, for use by students and schools in the country.
It says a random visit to pre-tertiary schools and bookshops would be conducted and drastic measures would be taken against the publishers of books, bookshops, and schools that are in possession of all books found not to have gone through the assessment process by NaCCA.
The said book published by Usborne Books has gone viral on social media due to its controversial content on adolescence sexual and reproductive health that seems to normalisesame- sex sexual attraction and masturbation.
An excerpt of page 31 sighted by the Ghanaian Times states that “It isn’t unusual to fancy someone the same sex as you when growing up. Usually, people go on to have stronger feeling for the opposite sex but it doesn’t always happen. And it is possible to fancy both boys and girls.”
But a statement issued by the Director General of NaCCA, Dr Edward Appiah in Accra on Friday said thebook hadnot been submitted to NaCCA to undergo the necessary assessment to attain approval for use.
It said for the avoidance of doubt, the list of approved books could be assessed on the agency’s official website (http://www.nacca.gov.gh).
The statement expressed the hope that heads of schools, parents/guardians, bookshops and the general public would cooperate with NaCCA to ensure improvement in the delivery of quality education for learners.
The reaction to the said book comes at a time supporters and opponents of the country’s new anti-LGBT bill are debating at an ongoing public hearing on the proposed legislation that would make it a crime to be gay, bisexual or transgender.
It is recalled that last year October, sharp divisions greeted the guidelines on Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) for schools, with one side, mostly parents and religious groupssaying it was encouraging same sex relationships,while the educational authorities said the new policy held the key to effective sexuality education for the youth.
BY TIMES REPORTER
