Ghana’s culture is the life and history of its different tribal /ethnic groups.
The major ethnic groups are:
- Akan 50%
- Mole-Dagbon 15.5%
- Ewe 12%
- Ga-Dangme 7.5%
- Guan 4%
- Gurma 4%
- Gurunsi 2.5%
- Mande-Busanga 1%
- other tribes 1.5%
- other (Hausa, Zabarema,Fulani) ) 2%
(2000 census)
Each Ethnic group is broken down into many different sub ethnic groups all with there own different language/ dialect and culture.
Education
Presently, Ghana has:
- 18,530 primary schools
- 8,850 junior secondary schools
- 900 senior secondary schools
- 28 training colleges
- 20 technical institutions
- 4 diploma-awarding institutions
- 6 public universities and over 10 private universities.
Most Ghanaians have relatively easy access to primary and secondary education. These numbers can be contrasted with the single university and handful of secondary and primary schools that existed at the time of independence in 1957. Ghana’s spending on education has varied between 28 and 40 percent of its annual budget in the past decade. All teaching is done in English, Ghana’s official
language.
Languages and Dialects.
Within thoses ehtnic groups there are more than 250 languages and dialects are spoken. English is the country’s official language and predominates government, business, education ancd the media. Nine languages have the status of
government-sponsored languages:
- Akan (Ashanti, Fante, Akuapem, Akyem, Kwahu)
- Dagaare/Waale Spoken in Upper Western Region
- Dangbe Spoken in Greater Accra
- Dagbane Spoken in Northern Region
- Ewe Volta Region
- Ga Greater Accra Region
- Gonja Northern Region
- Kasem Upper Eastern Region
- Nzema Western Region
- Hausa although not an official language, is spoken among Ghana’s Muslims, who comprise about 14% of the population.
There are many non Government Sponcerned Languages:
- Adele Volta Region
- Anufo/Chokosi Northern Region
- Buli Upper East Region – Sandema
- Bimoba Northern Region – Bunkp urugu
- Birifor Upper East Region and Northern Region Bilema & Danvar
- Bassari Northern Region
- Chumburung Northern Region and Volta Region
- Frara Upper East Region Bolgatanga
- Gikyode/Akyode Volta Region – Shiare
- Hanga Northern Region
- Konkomba Northern Region Saboba
- Kusaal Upper East Region – Bawku
- Kasem Upper East Region – Navrongo
- Koma Upper East Region – Yipabongo
- Buen/Lelem Volta Region – Jasikan & Bodada
- Mampruli Northern Region -Nalerigu
- Mo/Deg Northern Region – New Longoro & Bole Dist.
- Naraanra Banda Ahenkro
- Nkonya Volta Region – Akloba & Wurupong
- Ntrubo/Delo Volta Region – Pusupu
- Nawuri Northern Region – Kitare
- Sisaala Upper Western Region – Tumu
- Tampulma Northern Region
- Vagla Northern Region
- Wali Upper Western Region