General Arts at Education Always

General Arts is one of the most popular SHS programmes in Ghana. It is the programme of choice for students who are interested in languages, social sciences, history, government, economics, and the humanities. A General Arts student develops strong communication skills, critical thinking, and a broad understanding of society, culture, and governance. At Education Always, we provide resources for all major General Arts subjects aligned to the GES syllabus.

Core Subjects (All SHS Students)

  • English Language
  • Core Mathematics
  • Integrated Science
  • Social Studies

Elective Subjects in the General Arts Programme

Literature in English

  • Prose: reading and analysis of prescribed novels and short stories
  • Poetry: interpretation, themes, literary devices, and versification
  • Drama: reading and staging of prescribed plays
  • African literature and its themes
  • Writing about literature: essays, character analysis, and critical responses

Government (Civics)

  • The state: meaning, elements, and types of states
  • Political concepts: democracy, sovereignty, legitimacy, and political power
  • Ghana’s constitutional development and the 1992 Constitution
  • Arms of government: executive, legislature, judiciary
  • Local government and decentralization in Ghana
  • Political parties and elections in Ghana
  • International organizations: UN, AU, ECOWAS, and their roles
  • Human rights and their protection in Ghana

Economics

  • Basic economic concepts: scarcity, scale of preference, and opportunity cost
  • Demand and supply analysis
  • Market structures and price determination
  • National income accounting: GDP, GNP, and per capita income
  • Money and financial institutions in Ghana
  • Ghana’s economic development challenges
  • International trade and its importance for Ghana
  • Inflation: causes, effects, and control measures

History

  • Pre-colonial history of West Africa and the great empires
  • The formation of Ghanaian states and kingdoms
  • The slave trade and colonialism
  • Nationalist movements and the independence of African states
  • Post-independence political developments in Ghana and Africa

French Language

  • Advanced oral and written French communication
  • French grammar: complex sentence structures, advanced tenses
  • Reading and listening comprehension
  • Essay and letter writing in French
  • French and Francophone African culture

Ghanaian Language

  • Reading and writing in a Ghanaian language (Twi, Ga, Ewe, Dagbani, or others)
  • Ghanaian language grammar and structure
  • Oral literature: proverbs, folktales, and riddles
  • Cultural significance of Ghanaian languages

Why General Arts Opens Many Doors

General Arts students can pursue degree programmes in Law, Political Science, Economics, History, Languages, Journalism, International Relations, Social Work, Education, and many more. The skills developed in General Arts, including reading, writing, analysis, and argumentation, are valued in almost every profession.

Browse our General Arts lessons and practice questions across all elective subjects to prepare for WASSCE.