Ghana is moving to change the phase of its educational system with the introduction of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in local languages such as Twi, Ewe and Dagbani, following a strategic partnership between the Government of Ghana and global technology giant Google.
The Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, announced the initiative as part of efforts to expand access to quality education, particularly for learners in rural communities and persons with disabilities.
Speaking at the ongoing Generative AI Summit in the United Kingdom, the Minister disclosed that he held high-level discussions with Google’s Vice President on leveraging AI to strengthen education delivery in Ghana and across Africa.
“Yesterday, I had a fruitful engagement with the Vice President of Google, where ideas were shared to improve the quality of education in Ghana and Africa as a whole,” Mr Iddrisu said.
As part of the collaboration, Google is working with the University of Ghana and the GDI Hub to develop speech recognition systems and AI-powered tools tailored to Ghanaian languages.
The initiative places special emphasis on non-standard speech patterns, with the aim of improving accessibility in education and digital public services.
The Education Minister further stressed the need to incorporate Hausa—one of the most widely spoken languages in Ghana and across West Africa—into the programme to enhance regional inclusion.
According to him, deploying AI tools in local languages will ensure that learners, especially those in underserved and rural areas or living with disabilities, can effectively access educational content and digital learning resources.
Google has also assured the Ministry of Education that its AI-powered education tools will be deployed in Ghana on a zero-rated basis.
These tools will include curriculum-aligned learning content as well as resources to promote the responsible use of AI in teaching and learning.
“Ghana is not just participating in the AI revolution; we are helping to shape it for Africa,” Mr Iddrisu noted, underscoring the country’s growing role in the continent’s digital transformation.
The initiative forms part of Google’s US$1 billion commitment to Africa’s digital development, with Ghana emerging as a key hub in advancing inclusive and innovative AI solutions on the continent.
