The Ghana Education Service has declared January 23 a holiday for students to allow uninterupted participation of teachers in an upcoming Nationwide Teacher Development Programme.

The program, known as phase two of Cybersecurity and Data Protection training is in recognition of the importance of Continuous Professional Development for teachers.

"In view of the above, 23rd January, 2026 is therefore declared as a holiday for learners."

"The Management of GES is by this letter requesting all Regional Directors of Education to inform all Metro, Municipal, District Directors of Education, Heads of Basic Schools and Second Cycle Institutions to adhere to the above directive with regard to the CPD day for our teachers," a letter signed by Acting Deputy Director-General in charge of Quality and Access, Munawaru Issahaque (PhD), on behalf of the Acting Director-General indicated.

In 2025, the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation proposed Cybersecurity (Amendment) Bill, 2025 aimed at expanding the powers of the Cyber Security Authority (CSA) to regulate, investigate, and prosecute cyber-related offences.

However, it has sparked significant public debate due to concerns over privacy, overreach, and industry impact.

Economic Adviser at the Office of the Vice President, Professor Sharif Mahmud Khalid, has recommended that the proposed passage of the Cybersecurity (Amendment) Bill, 2025, should be informed by consensus-building, bi-partisanship, and broad stakeholder engagement and not political expediency.

Since cybersecurity affects the general public, the Professor believes that there is a need for extensive consultations with key stakeholders and experts in the digital sector.

Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile on Saturday, November 1, Professor Khalid cautioned that,

“With such legislation, I will always call for bipartisan support,” he said. “The cybersecurity network in the country, including professionals, civil society organisations, and others whose work directly relates to this field, ought to be consulted to chart the way forward.”

Among the about nine stages a bill goes through to become a law in Ghana, as stipulated by the dictates of the 1992 constitution, Professor Khalid noted that legislative drafting is often one of the most complex stages of lawmaking, emphasising that the language used in bills must accurately reflect their intended purpose.

“Legislation can be a very challenging process, and drafting is often the hardest part. Sometimes the intent of a law is not clearly captured on paper, which is why it’s important to involve skilled drafters in the process,” he detailed.

The President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Albert Kwabena Dwumfuor, also raised concerns about some aspects of the Cybersecurity (Amendment) Bill, 2025, laid before Parliament for consideration.

The Bill is currently in a public consultation phase, led by the Cyber Security Authority (CSA), and has not yet been passed into law. Speaking at an event to mark the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists on Monday, November 3, Mr. Dwumfuor stressed the need for broader consultation to avert future challenges that could threaten media freedom and democratic governance.

“We call for broad engagement, public consultation, and education to fine-tune the bill to ensure that every sector directly impacted understands and makes the needed input in the public interest. If what the amendment seeks to cure will worsen the cyber ecosystem, then we must tread cautiously,” he added.

Vice President for Innovation and Technology at IMANI Africa, Selorm Branttie, has criticised the 2025 Cybersecurity (Amendment) Bill, describing it as ambiguous and potentially oppressive.

In an interview with Joy FM, he observed that several sections of the draft law are vaguely written and overly broad, making it challenging to separate minor online infractions from serious cyber offences.

Mr. Branttie warned that such lack of clarity could lead to misinterpretation and abuse, allowing ordinary digital activities to be unfairly criminalised.

“A lot of the lettering for the Cybersecurity Bill, for example, is ambiguous in terms of the kinds of offenses that are being discussed and the ramifications for you being seen as contravening some of these offences makes them draconian, makes it unsuitable for the current day and age and society that we have.“You are looking at things that could either be minor or major, and bottling it up into just one category and then criminalising all of it," he added.

Mr. Branttie noted that several Ghanaians maintain additional social media profiles or alternative online identities for valid purposes such as protecting their privacy or adhering to workplace policies.

He explained that, as the bill currently stands, such practices could easily be misconstrued as dishonest or unlawful. According to him, the absence of precise definitions and a clear categorisation of offences could give authorities undue power, potentially paving the way for the harassment of individuals, journalists, or political critics under the pretext of enforcing cybersecurity measures.

“It’s a dangerous to have laws like this, or some of the stipulations in laws like this dictating the what should be the government’s response or the security aparatus' response to some of these things that happen digitally because in the wrong hands, this could be used to abuse the personal rights of many indivuduals and could be used to target people percieved as political opponents or people perceived as not liked by anybody who is in authority,” he explained.

Mr. Branttie called on Parliament to carefully revise the language of the bill before its approval to ensure it maintains a fair balance between strengthening national cybersecurity and upholding citizens’ online rights.

He recommended that legislators work closely with technical professionals, civil society groups, and private sector stakeholders to refine the scope of offences, classify their severity, and establish transparent oversight systems.

IMANI Africa, a policy think tank recognised for its advocacy in governance and technology, has long championed openness and fairness in the formulation of Ghana’s digital regulations.