As a concern citizen in Ghana, I have dedicated my career to nurturing and inspiring young minds through the power of literature. Books have the potential to shape thoughts, cultivate imagination, and open new worlds for our students. However, the recent introduction of "The Beacon of Light" as the prescribed literature text for Junior High Schools raises significant concerns that cannot be ignored.

In early 2025, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA) approved "The Beacon of Light" to replace "The Cockcrow" as the mandatory literature text for Junior High Schools. This sudden change has sparked widespread concern among educators, parents, and the general public. While change can often lead to growth, it is crucial that such changes are made with careful deliberation, thorough evaluation, and in the best interest of our students.

The literary pieces show strong indicators of AI generation. The texts bear the hallmarks of AI-produced writing which is grammatically correct but emotionally hollow, technically clean but culturally sterile. They lack the organic depth, cultural texture, and intentional craft that human writers bring. Literature written by artificial intelligence has never lived a Ghanaian life. It cannot write with the authenticity our learners deserve. We call on NaCCA to subject every piece in the text to independent AI detection analysis, with results made publicly available.

The texts are not genuinely grade-level appropriate. A literature text for Basic 7 to Basic 9 learners must challenge without overwhelming. The pieces in The Beacon of Light are reported by professional teachers to be superficial in thematic development, generic in characterisation, and thin in literary technique. These are not qualities that build literary appreciation. They produce readers who finish a text having learned very little of lasting value.

The text fails to reflect Ghana's rich cultural identity. Authentic Ghanaian and African literature carries the rhythms of oral tradition, the weight of communal memory, and the specificity of place. Research consistently shows that learners engage more deeply when they encounter their own cultural realities in the texts they study. The text may have been generated with the prompt to appear to have local names and/or setting but lacks the true virtues.

The text denies learners access to Ghana's literary scholars and legends. Our children deserve to know that Lawrence Darmani won a Commonwealth Prize. They deserve to encounter the work of Efua Sutherland, Ama Ata Aidoo, and Kofi Awoonor, Oswald Okaitei, Mawuli Adzei among others. They deserve to know that African writers such as Chinua Achebe, Wole Soyinka, Ngugi wa Thiong'o,  have stood on the world stage and been counted among the finest voices in human letters. When learners are denied exposure to this body of work, they are denied their literary inheritance.

 The approval process was inadequate. Frontline English teachers, the professionals best placed to assess grade-level appropriateness and literary quality were not adequately consulted before this text was approved for the entire country. Who reviewed the pieces for authenticity of authorship? Were they subjected to independent literary criticism? These questions must be answered transparently.

We urge the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA) and the Ghana Education Service (GES) to suspend the use of "The Beacon of Light" until a thorough review is conducted. This review should include consultations with a diverse group of educators, literary experts, and cultural leaders to evaluate the text's cultural relevance, thematic depth, and educational value. We trust in your commitment to providing the best educational opportunities for our students and ensuring that the tools used in their education are the most appropriate and effective.

Our call is simple: put the needs and interests of our students first by taking a critical and thoughtful approach to the selection of their literature curriculum. By signing this petition, you join us in advocating for a more inclusive, thoughtful, and engaging educational experience for all Junior High School students in Ghana. Your signature matters and can make a difference.