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Arabic/Chinese Curriculum: Apologise Or Sack Haruna – NPP To Mahama

The Education Sector Policy Committee of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has challenged President John Mahama to either apologise to Ghanaians or sack the Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, over the controversy surrounding the proposed introduction of Arabic and Chinese languages into schools.

The committee said if the Education Minister announced and pursued the policy without presidential or Cabinet approval, then the President should relieve him of his position.

However, if the minister acted with the knowledge or authority of the President or Cabinet, it said President Mahama must apologise to the Ghanaian public for denying a policy that his government had already set in motion.

In a statement released yesterday, the committee said the President’s recent declaration that there was ‘absolutely no new policy’ on the introduction of Arabic and Chinese had created a serious contradiction, particularly in view of earlier actions by the Education Ministry and its agencies.

It recalled that on April 24, 2026, Mr. Iddrisu publicly announced that Chinese and Arabic would become compulsory foreign languages at the secondary school level and linked the policy to President Mahama’s vision for education.

According to the committee, the Ministry subsequently instructed the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA) to undertake curriculum development work, involving about 160 writers and reviewers over several months.

It said a revised curriculum incorporating Arabic and Chinese among foreign-language options was presented to the Education Minister on July 22, 2026.

The committee claimed that instead of rejecting the curriculum, the minister referred it to the Ghana Education Service (GES) and directed the service to bring it to ‘full implementation readiness’, take early ownership and prepare for classroom implementation.

It further cited the training of teachers by NaCCA on September 3, 2026, with support from the Confucius Institute at the University of Cape Coast, as evidence that preparations had progressed beyond a mere proposal.

The NPP committee said the sequence of events would reasonably lead the public to believe that the policy had been authorised by the government, particularly because the Education Minister had attributed the policy direction to the President.

It therefore questioned the President’s subsequent assertion that there was ‘absolutely no new policy’, arguing that the statement had failed to explain the actions already taken by the Ministry, NaCCA and GES.

The committee also raised questions about public expenditure associated with the process, including curriculum development, workshops, technical work and teacher training.

‘If there was ‘absolutely no new policy’, why were public resources committed to developing the curricula, preparing the system for implementation and training teachers?’ it asked.

The committee also pointed to President Mahama’s concern about the availability of Chinese language teachers, particularly when Ghana was already experiencing shortages of French teachers.

It questioned why the implementation process had progressed to curriculum development and teacher training if teacher availability remained unresolved.

The NPP, however, distinguished between Arabic and Chinese, noting that Arabic had existed as an optional subject at the Junior High School level before the current government assumed office.

Chinese, it said, was different, because the 2026 process involved curriculum development, consideration by the Education Ministry, preparations by GES and teacher training.

The committee said the controversy had broader implications for government policy coordination and accountability.

It argued that if a minister could announce a major policy, attribute it to the President, involve government institutions and commit public resources to its development without the required approval, questions would arise about how other government decisions were being taken.

The committee said parents, teachers, school administrators and taxpayers deserved clear and consistent communication from the government.

It maintained that the controversy could not simply be declared settled, and repeated its call for President Mahama to either apologise to the nation and provide a full account of the policy and expenditure involved, or sack the Education Minister for acting without the necessary authority.

CRICKET-CPL-INNINGS Guyana Amazon Warriors 76 (15 overs) vs Antigua & Barbuda Falcons – Qualifier 1

The Guyana Amazon Warriors post 76 in 15 overs, after being sent in by the Antigua and Barbuda Falcons in the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League Qualifier 1 at Kensington Oval here on Thursday.

GUYANA AMAZON WARRIORS 76 in 15 overs (Glenn Phillips 16, Shai Hope 16, Romario Shepherd 14 not out; Sufyan Moqim 4-13, Shadab Khan 4-16)

7 CIW officials face raps over trust fund anomaly

The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) has ordered the filing of cases against two sacked superintendents and five personnel of the Correctional Institution for Women (CIW) for their alleged involvement in the trust fund anomaly.

BuCor Director Gregorio Catapang Jr. approved the filing of criminal and civil charges against CIW superintendents Daisy Sevilla-Castillote and Marjorie Ann Sanidad, as well as corrections officers Bianca Flor Ramos, Maryrose Abucay, Madel Figuerres, Gloria Lakisa and Charlot Jennifer Carreon.

Catapang likewise initiated administrative proceedings against the CIW officers.

In a report dated Aug. 30, BuCor’s directorate for intelligence and investigation found that the officers handling the trust fund of inmates failed to account for P5,153,375.

A parallel investigation by the BuCor internal audit service unit concluded on Aug. 25 that the funds unaccounted for reached P6.4 million.

Catapang ordered a second review to reconcile the two findings.

An inmate trust fund, under BuCor’s manual, keeps all money prisoners earn or receive from legitimate sources. Prisoners can withdraw the money for their immediate needs.

According to BuCor, Castillote and Sanidad should be held liable for gross neglect of duty and grave misconduct.

Castillote allegedly used part of the funds to renovate the multipurpose hall, overseer’s office and investigation and verification section unit.

Sanidad, who came in before Castillote in an acting capacity, allegedly authorized the release of P300,000 to cover a remittance intended for inmates that had not been properly transmitted.

Ramos, the trust fund officer, failed to explain where the money was spent. Her successor, Abucay, allegedly committed lapses during the turnover process.

The BuCor said Figuerres, Lakisa and Carreon failed to document, monitor, reconcile, maintain and verify trust fund records.

Chinese ambassador reportedly gifts Pashinyan a sailboat

Chinese Ambassador to Armenia Li Xinwei reportedly presented Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan with a model sailboat as a gift on August 7, according to Armenian daily Hraparak.

The gift was transferred through the protocol department of the Prime Minister’s Office, Hraparak reported, citing information from Armenia’s Corruption Prevention Commission (CPC).

According to the CPC, the model sailboat was valued at 563,133 Armenian drams, equivalent to approximately $1,547 at an exchange rate of around 364 drams per US dollar.

The reported gift was made by Li Xinwei, China’s ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to Armenia

Opposition lawmaker: Armenia not ready to leave Eurasian Economic Union

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s room for maneuvering is running out, opposition ‘Armenia’ bloc MP and Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF Dashnaktsutyun) member Ishkhan Saghatelyan said at a press briefing on Wednesday.

Saghatelyan said Pashinyan had made different commitments during meetings in Washington and Moscow, as well as in talks with the leaders of Trkiye and Azerbaijan, and now faces pressure to clarify his position.

‘I don’t think he will be able to. As a result, the country is facing a difficult choice,’ Saghatelyan said.

The opposition lawmaker also recalled that during the pre-election period, the ‘Armenia’ bloc had warned voters that Pashinyan would handle the country’s economy in the same way it had handled security issues.

‘Armenia is not ready to leave the EAEU [Eurasian Economic Union], it will have serious consequences. If the price of [Russian natural] gas increases, it will be a very heavy blow for Armenia,’ Saghatelyan said.

He referred to a statement by a member of the ruling party suggesting that, if the price of Russian natural gas rises, Armenia could respond by increasing the lease payment for the Russian military base stationed in the country.

‘This is also an adventurism. And then they [the Armenian authorities] will quickly say that they are ready to buy [natural] gas from Azerbaijan,’ Saghatelyan said.

He questioned the prospect of Azerbaijan becoming an alternative source of energy supplies for Armenia, given the long-standing tensions between the two countries.

‘If the current authorities of Armenia view Azerbaijan as an alternative source of energy supplies, that says it all. How can inimical states, a threat to our state, become an alternative source of supplies of goods of strategic importance [to Armenia]?’ Saghatelyan asked.

’Kiss’ for substandard steel bars

The expression ‘Keep it simple, stupid (Kiss)’ has been the advocacy of the Federation of Philippine Industries (FPI) in addressing the dangerous problem of substandard products, especially steel bars. Given climate change, this has become urgent; though some at the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) favor this, such as Assistant Secretary Regino Mallari, others have rejected it.

Substandard steel bars have proliferated because of corruption or incompetence. In some cases, this has become a kiss of death. Last May 24, nine people died due to the collapse of a nine-story building in Angeles City. The culprit? Steel bar mandatory standards were not enforced.

Necessary raid

It was reported that these steel bars had the CX logo, registered under Chuangxing Steel in Magalang, Pampanga. This plant was subsequently raided on July 18. It was led by the National Bureau of Investigation and the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC). The DTI was not part of this team, which uncovered P3 billion worth of materials and products, including substandard steel bars. The NBI has since recommended the prosecution of 12 company officers.

Could this have been prevented? Yes. This was stated at the Sept. 3 hearing of the Senate committee on economic affairs chaired by Sen. Risa Hontiveros. For disclosure purposes, I was invited as a resource person since I was the Alyansa Agrikultura chair and standards committee chair of the FPI, which has 75 corporations and 23 industry associations. In addition, standards enforcement was part of my responsibility when I was DTI undersecretary and presidential flagship secretary coordinating national infrastructure projects, where standards are critical.

At the Senate hearing, the Philippine Iron and Steel Institute (Pisi) presented information about its steel bar test buys in Region 7 and Region 4A from March 16 to 19 and 30 to 31, respectively.

Steel bar violations

In its random steel test buys, the DTI reported less than a 5-percent violation rate, compared with Pisi’s 70 percent. Pisi had earlier reported violation rates of 56 percent in 2024 and 58 percent in 2025. Furthermore, Pisi had been identifying Chuanxing Steel as a possible source of substandard steel bars every year since 2023.

From the 21 violating stores reported by Pisi, 13 manufacturers were identified. None of the 13 manufacturing plants were effectively inspected. Had Chuanxing Steel been found guilty in an inspection, there would have been no need for a raid by the NBI and PAOCC.

Added complexity

Herein lies the problem. During the first five months of this year, out of more than 150 notices of violation for retail stores, only one manufacturer was impleaded. The reason given was lack of receipts.

Even without receipts, the DTI has the authority to inspect a manufacturing establishment to determine standards compliance. Under Section A of Republic Act No. 4109 (the Standards Law), the Bureau of Standards is charged with both the establishment of standards as well as the inspection of their compliance. The DTI Administrative Order No. 2, Series of 2002, further prohibits any person from refusing authorized access entry to inspection. Therefore, the DTI has legal authority to enter an establishment and conduct an inspection to determine standards compliance, even without receipts.

Octopus analogy

If we consider the octopus head as the manufacturer and the tentacles as its retailers, the DTI must now focus on catching the head. The tentacles will provide the leads to the head. The DTI has been doing most of its enforcement work on the tentacles.

While random inspections can continue, the emphasis should be on unannounced inspections of plants where there are already confirmed retail violations that identify these plants. This is not being done, as shown by only one manufacturer being impleaded from more than 150 retail violations.

Strict enforcement should not stop at the retail level. Furthermore, the DTI random test buy rate of less than 5-percent violation compared with the private sector’s 70 percent indicates that private sector input should not be ignored.

We must follow the Kiss strategy favored by DTI officials like Mallari. Only then can we ensure our safety, as well as provide a level playing field for the legitimate manufacturers who strictly follow product standards.

The author is Agriwatch chair, former secretary of presidential flagship programs and projects and former agriculture and trade undersecretary.

In front of late teammates’ parents, Blue Eagles forge hot season start

All eyes were on Ateneo as the team made its debut in the UAAP Season 89 men’s basketball tournament.

For the Blue Eagles, however, some eyes mattered more than the rest.

The Katipunan-based squad smashed University of the East, 101-74, on Wednesday at Mall of Asia Arena, but the result’s place in the team standings meant far less than its place in the hearts of the Blue Eagles’ special guests.

Elias and Ifeoma Adili, the parents of Divine Adili, who tragically died in a training accident during Ateneo’s offseason camp in Aurora province in June, were at ringside to cheer on their son’s teammates.

‘I’m delighted to be here, but I wish I was watching my son,’ said Ifeoma.

Divine and teammate Rene Baterbonia perished during a training activity in the waters of Dipaculao in Aurora.

‘I know that my son is [still with the team]. Divine and Rene, they are there,’ Ifeoma added.

‘They might be invisible, but I know my son is there. But I wish to come to the Philippines to watch my son play because that’s what I’ve been desiring. And I know my son desired that, to bring us to the Philippines to come and watch him live.’

The game kicked off with a moment of silence to honor Adili and Baterbonia, and then the Blue Eagles created some noise with their torrid performance that they dedicated to their teammates and to the Adilis.

‘When we met and talked with Divine’s parents, I told them that we dedicate the whole season to Divine and Rene,’ said team captain Jared Bahay.

‘But [I told the Adilis that] this game, since you’re here, we’ll dedicate it to you guys.’

Baterbonia’s family was also present at the venue, but sat at the lower box section. The Baterbonias are still seeking justice for the death of Rene, something that the late standout’s mom made known with a post on social media.

‘Manalo o matalo man sila sa laro, justice pa rin ang hanap namin para sa aking anak (Whether they win or lose a game, it’s still justice we seek for my son),’ she wrote.

The difference in the two families’ presence during the game reflects the polarized opinions basketball fans have about the incident-and Ateneo’s participation in the current season.

While the Baterbonias are looking for accountability from the school, the Adilis have moved on and are showing solidarity with the Blue Eagles.

Elias, however, said the pain will always be present.

‘Since the 18th of June, the date of the incident, I can tell you that men do cry,’ he said. ‘But their tears flow into their hearts. It flows into their hearts. And that’s why we die early. But I thank God for sustaining me up to this moment.’

Kieffer Alas led Ateneo’s motivated effort with 24 points and four rebounds in his UAAP seniors debut. Bahay and Grayson Rogers also helped the cause with 17 and 12 points, respectively.

The Blue Eagles led by just two points in the second quarter, 25-23, before going on a 20-5 rally for a 45-28 advantage.

By halftime, the Blue Eagles led 56-39, and Alas already had 16 points.

27 held in Surat Thani for Thai ID card fraud

SURAT THANI – Authorities arrested 27 people including civil servants and Thai residents of this southern province for allegedly facilitating the issuance of Thai ID cards for migrant workers.

Three civil servants, nine Thai homeowners and 15 migrant workers were arrested in Kanchanadit and Koh Samui districts on Wednesday and Thursday.

The Thai homeowners made false statements to certify the migrants were Thais, said deputy national police chief Pol Gen Samran Nualma, who visited Surat Thani on Thursday.

According to Pol Gen Samran, the people were involved in the issuance of Category 0 Thai ID cards for migrant workers.

Category 0 ID cards, containing a 13-digit identification number starting with 0, are usually issued to stateless persons, marginalised groups or residents in remote or border regions without formal civil registration.

Migrants with such ID cards have access to many basic Thai public services and can later apply for full Thai citizenship.

The arrests this week were part of a follow-up investigation after a crackdown on suspects in another corrupt ID card issuance case in Don Sak, Surat Thani in July.

Registration fraud has been a growing problem in Thailand, with offences taking many forms, including identity theft involving inactive registrants, false birth registrations, false marriages, and misuse of education entitlements.

US commitment to Sri Lanka at its highest level

The US commitment to Sri Lanka is at its highest level in recent times, and Sri Lanka now has a narrow but important opportunity to convert that goodwill into a more durable economic partnership with Washington. That was the central message from former Sri Lankan Ambassador to the United States Mahinda Samarasinghe, who called for the early conclusion of the bilateral agreement on the new US tariff regime, warning that Sri Lanka must secure certainty for its exporters and investors. (Daily FT)

Delivering the keynote at the Sri Lanka Institute of Directors (SLID) Annual Members Meeting and 25th Anniversary celebration at Cinnamon Grand Colombo, Samarasinghe placed the relationship in the context of Sri Lanka’s economic recovery.

‘If not for the United States, the IMF deal would never have been done,’ he said.

The remark goes to the heart of Sri Lanka’s relationship with Washington. The US has not merely been an important trading partner; it has also been an important economic and diplomatic partner at a critical moment in Sri Lanka’s history. The challenge now is to ensure that this relationship delivers a stronger economic dividend over the next decade.

The US market cannot be taken for granted

The US accounts for around 25% of Sri Lanka’s exports. For an economy that needs to generate foreign exchange, preserve export employment and attract new investment, continued access to the US market is strategically important. (Daily FT). This is why the tariff negotiations matter far beyond the immediate percentage being discussed. Samarasinghe said negotiations and US goodwill had helped reduce the originally proposed tariff from 44% to 33% and subsequently to 10%. (Daily FT) That is a substantial improvement. But the real prize is not simply obtaining a lower tariff today. It is securing a framework that gives exporters the confidence to invest, expand capacity and enter into long-term commercial commitments. Julie Chung, who made her presence felt during her tenure in Colombo, has now left, with her successor, US Ambassador Eric Meyer, taking over at an important juncture to further strengthen the longstanding US-Sri Lanka relationship.

Policy consistency

Businesses cannot plan effectively when market access remains uncertain. A manufacturer deciding whether to invest millions of dollars in a new production line needs confidence about the tariff environment several years ahead. International investors similarly require predictable rules. This is why Samarasinghe’s call to ‘lock in’ the favourable tariff rate deserves particular attention.

‘I have recommended very strongly to the Government that we need to conclude the agreement so that we can lock in the very favourable tariff rate that Sri Lanka has got up to now,’ he said. (Daily FT)

Samarasinghe said around 90% of the agreement’s content had been completed, with the remaining work involving agreement in principle, domestic procedures and the necessary legal processes before signing and implementation. (Daily FT).Sri Lanka has often paid a high price for policy uncertainty and delays. Investors do not wait indefinitely, and export orders can move to competing countries when the commercial environment becomes less attractive.The Government therefore needs to recognise that certainty itself is an economic asset.

Give and take

There is, however, no such thing as a one-sided trade agreement. Samarasinghe pointed out that countries concluding agreements with the US have generally had to provide complete or near-complete duty-free access for American exports. (Daily FT). This is where the negotiations become more difficult-and more important. Sri Lanka must determine what it is prepared to offer in return for preferential access to the US market. Opening the domestic market can create opportunities through greater competition, lower costs and technology transfer, but it can also expose less competitive industries to pressure. The answer should not be blanket protection. Sri Lanka’s objective should be a framework that encourages competitiveness and investment while allowing sufficient time for sectors requiring adjustment. The agreement should also form part of a broader export strategy rather than remain an isolated tariff arrangement.

The investment opportunity

Perhaps the biggest opportunity is not the exports Sri Lanka has today, but the investment it could attract tomorrow. A predictable US trade framework could strengthen Sri Lanka’s proposition to international investors. If investors know that Sri Lanka offers reliable access to a major market, the country becomes more attractive as a production and services base. But tariffs alone will not bring that investment because the sub region has got the same. Sri Lanka must also address issues that repeatedly concern investors: policy consistency, taxation, regulation, infrastructure, skills, energy costs, logistics and the efficiency of public institutions. The trade agreement can therefore become a catalyst for broader economic reform.

From friendship to economic partnership

Samarasinghe emphasised that the US has been a longstanding friend of Sri Lanka and that its support has been ‘unconditional and genuine’. (Daily FT) That relationship now has an opportunity to evolve into a deeper economic partnership. The next phase should focus on trade and investment, technology, education, skills development, supply-chain integration and economic resilience. For Sri Lanka, the objective should therefore be clear: to leverage the goodwill built with Washington.

The longer-term objective must be to use that agreement as a platform for attracting investment, diversifying exports and embedding Sri Lanka more firmly in global supply chains. Sri Lanka has stabilised its economy; the next challenge is to generate sustainable growth. The US relationship can play a major role in that transition. The opportunity before Sri Lanka is to leverage the current US goodwill into long-term economic certainty-and turn that certainty into exports, investment, jobs and growth, while maintaining our longstanding relationship.

SA Evacuation Cost: Minority Boycotts Foreign Affairs Committee Meeting

The Minority Caucus on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee yesterday refused to participate in a closed-door meeting briefed by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, on the evacuation of Ghanaians from South Africa.

In a statement signed by the Ranking Member of the Committee, Samuel A. Jinapor, Member of Parliament (MP) for Damongo, the Minority said its decision follows the Ministry’s failure to provide full disclosure on the expenditure incurred.

The Minority said it supported the government’s decision to evacuate Ghanaian nationals whose safety was threatened by xenophobic attacks in South Africa, noting that the protection of citizens abroad is an important responsibility of the state.

It, however, said that support does not dispense with the government’s obligation to account for public funds.

According to the statement, on August 17, 2026, the Minority submitted a formal request under the Right to Information Act, 2019 (Act 989), with reference number MP/BF/RTI/2026/007, requesting comprehensive records relating to the cost and financing of the evacuation, which the Minister had indicated was funded by the government and ‘Ghanaian partners’.

The request was received by the Ministry on August 25.

The information sought included detailed expenditure, funding sources, identities and contributions of private partners, expenditure on flights, accommodation, feeding, medical services, reintegration payments, as well as procurement and payment records.

The Minority said on September 7, 2026, the Minister announced that almost GHS50 million had been expended on the evacuation and reintegration of 1,964 Ghanaians, but the Ministry has not furnished the itemised account and supporting documentation requested.

‘The expenditure of public funds carries with it a corresponding duty of accountability. Government must be prepared to account, not only for the total amount spent, but also for how that expenditure was incurred,’ the statement said.

‘In these circumstances, the Minority does not consider it appropriate to participate in a closed-door meeting intended to discuss the same subject matter while its formal request for the underlying expenditure records remains outstanding.’

The Caucus said it will not participate in the meeting unless and until the Ministry provides the itemised account and supporting records.

‘We reiterate our call on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to make full disclosure of the expenditure relating to the evacuation exercise,’ Mr. Jinapor said, adding that the Minority will remain resolute in demanding transparency and accountability in the use of taxpayers’ funds.

Meeting Rescheduled

Meanwhile, Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee has rescheduled its planned meeting with Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa after the Minority declined to participate in the briefing.

Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Dr. Alfred Okoe Vanderpuije, said the meeting was rescheduled to ensure all committee members are present for the Minister’s briefing.

‘We scheduled a meeting for the Minister to come and brief the committee. Unfortunately, the Minority decided that they will not be participating. I, as chair, decided that we must do whatever it takes to have all the committee members be part of the meeting with the Minister,’ he said.