Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs has formally appealed to the United Kingdom to exempt Ghanaian students and professionals from the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), arguing that English has long been Ghana’s medium of instruction.

The request was made during a meeting with the British High Commissioner to Ghana, His Excellency Christian Rogg, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday, January 7.

In a Facebook post after the meeting, the Minister said he “made a special appeal for Ghana to be exempted from the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) and the required fees payable by Ghanaian students and professionals, since English has long been the Medium of Instruction in Ghana.”

The engagement formed part of broader discussions on strengthening Ghana–UK relations, as both countries work towards elevating their cooperation to a Strategic Partnership.

According to the Minister, the two sides “assessed our increasingly buoyant bilateral relations and aligned our priority areas of focus for 2026 consistent with the vision of President John Mahama,” adding that processes have already commenced to deepen bilateral ties.

He noted that discussions identified “multiple sectors for deeper cooperation, including security, trade, job creation, health, education, governance and constitutional review.”

Beyond the IELTS exemption, the Minister also called for stronger institutional protection for Ghanaians working in the UK health sector, stating that he “called for a government-to-government framework for the protection and improved conditions of particularly Ghanaian health practitioners who work and aspire to work in the UK.”

The meeting concluded on a light-hearted note, with the Minister pledging to host the British High Commissioner in his home constituency if Ghana’s national team achieves a famous football victory in the future.