The Ghana Education Service (GES) has given the green light for the use of 22 African slangs that are now officially recognised worldwide.

Earlier this week, TVC News reported that 20 Nigerian and West African slang expressions, including ‘nyash’, ‘Ghana Must Go’ and ‘moi moi’, have been officially added to the Oxford English Dictionary for global usage.

Speaking to JoyNews, Head of Public Relations at Ghana Education Service, Daniel Fenyi, said this move reflects the Ministry of Education’s policy of using local languages in early grades.

He assured that students won’t be penalised for using these expressions in formal settings.

“If you could remember, at the latter part of last year, the Minister for Education mentioned that even at the early grade level, we expect that instruction is conducted in the L1, that is, the native language. So, already as a people, already as an administration, we are big on the local language. We are big on our culture, and we are big on our identity, and so, it is even easier for us if some of these local languages are now standardised to be used as English items. And so, yes, as an administration, we would encourage that these new words are used since they are accepted globally and everywhere. Nobody will punish any student for using Standard English ”.

Mr. Fenyi added that this is a major win for African languages, marking real linguistic progress.

He encouraged everyone to keep local dialects and expressions alive in everyday conversation.

“Generally, these words from Africa that have been adopted, we believe that as natives of Africa who live, who study, who work in Africa, we will find some of these words even more relatable. So, for example, I see words like 'light soup' and 'Kpanlogo'; these words are very Ghanaian," he explained.

"And so if you are in school and you adopt some of these words or use some of these words, learners are more likely to understand the concept you are teaching or the idea or the theory you are teaching, even better than some of the traditional English words.

"And so we consider this as linguistic progress for Africa, for Ghana, for Nigeria, and for all other countries that have had some of their words. And we expect that as time evolves, more words and more items from Africa will find their way into global relevance and acceptance ”.

The inclusion of African slang in the Oxford English Dictionary is more than a linguistic update; it is a global acknowledgement of Africa’s cultural voice and influence.

As everyday expressions from the continent gain international recognition, educators say it reinforces the idea that language is living, evolving, and shaped by the people who use it.

For students across Africa, it is a reminder that their words, identities, and experiences matter on the global stage.