Iddrisu backs Adutwum’s STEM vision as Ghana prepares to introduce AI, coding from KG to Primary Six

Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu has acknowledged that former Education Minister Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum was right to place strong emphasis on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), but says the government is now working to build a more comprehensive policy framework around that vision.

Mr Iddrisu said the government was preparing a revised basic education curriculum that would expose children to artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, electronics, coding and other digital skills from Kindergarten through Primary Six.

He made the disclosure in an interview on TV 3, monitored by The Executive Spotlight in which he assessed the state of Ghana's education system and outlined reforms being pursued by the current administration.

‘Adutwum got some things right’

While sharply criticising aspects of the previous administration's education policies, Mr Iddrisu said Dr Adutwum's emphasis on STEM education was an area where his predecessor had made a positive contribution.

He said the focus on STEM was important for preparing Ghanaian children for a rapidly changing global economy.

However, Mr Iddrisu questioned whether the previous administration had developed a sufficiently coherent policy framework and infrastructure to support the STEM ambition.

He argued that introducing STEM facilities without ensuring that the broader education system, teachers, curriculum and infrastructure were properly aligned could limit the impact of the initiative.

The Minister said the government was therefore working on a comprehensive STEM policy that would provide a clearer direction for science and technology education.

AI and coding from the early years

At the heart of the proposed reforms is an ambitious plan to introduce children to emerging technologies much earlier in their education.

Mr Iddrisu said the revised curriculum would incorporate AI, robotics, electronics and coding from Kindergarten through Primary Six.

The proposal represents a significant shift from treating technology primarily as a specialised subject to making digital and technological literacy part of the foundation of basic education.

He said the objective was to equip Ghanaian children with skills that would enable them to compete in an increasingly technology-driven world.

The proposed curriculum would also place emphasis on ethical and moral values, citizenship and responsibility, ensuring that technological advancement is matched by character development.

Beyond examination-based education

Mr Iddrisu said Ghana's education system needed to move beyond an approach that places excessive emphasis on examinations and academic credentials.

He said foundational learning, particularly literacy and numeracy, must remain at the centre of education, while children are simultaneously equipped with practical and digital skills.

The Minister said the government intended to strengthen basic education because strong foundations were essential to success at the secondary and tertiary levels.

He cited international experience to argue that countries that have achieved significant educational and economic progress have invested heavily in foundational learning.

A new generation of learners

The proposed curriculum comes at a time when artificial intelligence is rapidly changing workplaces and the skills employers require.

For Mr Iddrisu, Ghana's education system must therefore prepare children not only to use technology but also to understand, create and innovate with it.

The proposed inclusion of robotics, coding, electronics and AI at the basic-school level is intended to expose learners to these fields early enough to develop interest and competence before they reach secondary school and university.

STEM policy still being developed

Mr Iddrisu stressed that the government was still developing its STEM policy and would present the framework to the public when it was ready.

He also indicated that the revised curriculum was going through the necessary approval processes.

This means the proposed introduction of AI, robotics and coding should not yet be treated as a fully implemented national curriculum.

The Minister's comments nevertheless signal a significant direction for Ghana's education policy: moving STEM and digital education from a specialised area into the foundation of basic education.

From STEM vision to national policy

Mr Iddrisu's acknowledgment of Dr Adutwum's STEM emphasis marks a notable departure from a purely partisan assessment of the previous government's education policies.

But his central argument is that a vision for STEM education must be supported by the right curriculum, teachers, infrastructure, equipment and policy framework.

The government now intends to build on what it considers useful elements of the previous STEM agenda while introducing new areas such as artificial intelligence, coding and robotics.

If implemented after the required approvals, the reforms could change how Ghanaian children are introduced to technology from the earliest stages of their education.

For Mr Iddrisu, the broader objective is to ensure that Ghana's education system produces young people equipped not only to seek jobs, but also to participate meaningfully in the technological and economic transformation of the country.