The Deputy Minister for Education, Dr Clement Abas Apaak, has advocated for a deeper integration of music and Ghanaian culture into the educational system to enhance teaching and learning, while reinforcing the cultural identity of the youth.
He noted that extracurricular activities, particularly music and cultural performances, hold the potential to make academic experiences more practical and meaningful.
According to him, such engagements are vital in helping students build confidence, foster creativity, and gain a profound appreciation of their rich heritage.
“EXTRA CHORAL is not merely entertainment or an annual competition. Through music, ensemble work, composition, text setting and performance, it gives learners a practical platform to show creativity, communication, collaboration and critical thinking.”
Dr Apaak made these remarks in an address delivered on behalf of the Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, during the official inauguration of both the Advisory and Oversight Committee and the Technical Committee for the Extra Choir 2026 National Senior High School Choral and Cultural Festival.
Emphasising the need to preserve authenticity, the Deputy Minister highlighted the importance of thorough research and unwavering respect for cultural values when showcasing Ghanaian traditions, languages, folklore, and music.
”The Ministry does not intend to replace the formal teaching of literacy and numeracy. We intend to create more opportunities to practise and apply them. A learner can read the text of a song, learn new words, retell its message and write a short response.”
”The same learner can count rhythmic patterns, explore fractions through musical groupings, record rehearsal data, prepare a simple performance budget or find mathematical patterns in cultural designs. That is practical, contextual and learner-centred education, and it makes learning meaningful,he said
He added that”Every learner needs strong language, mathematical, scientific and cultural literacy to understand, communicate, reason, solve problems and keep learning. Our songs, rhythms, stories, proverbs and poetry connect learning to our heritage and ground our learners in their identity.”
He charged the newly inaugurated committees to establish strong working relationships with key stakeholders, including the Ghana Education Service, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, the National Commission on Culture, the Ghana TVET Service, and UNESCO.
Dr Apaak also underscored the necessity for transparency, accountability, and the prudent management of resources throughout the execution of the project.
He expressed optimism that the festival would not only celebrate and promote Ghanaian cultural heritage but also significantly complement national strategies aimed at improving foundational learning across schools.
”Beyond the musical performances, the festival provides a platform for nurturing talents, building confidence, promoting teamwork and strengthening the cultural identity of our young people… Initiatives such as the EXTRA CHORAL Festival therefore complement our broader commitment to holistic education.”
”In the end, we will measure the success of EXTRA CHORAL not only by the quality of performances on the national stage, but by what our learners can understand, communicate, calculate, create and apply because of it,” he concluded.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana