Teach children their mother tongues – Pencils of Promise, World Vision
NGOs Pencils of Promise (POP) and World Vision have marked this year's International Mother Language Day celebration in the Volta Region on the theme: "Indigenous languages matter for development, peace-building and reconciliation".
International Mother Language Day is marked on the 21st of February. It is an annual celebration inaugurated by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in 1999 to celebrate and project local dialects worldwide.
The Krachi West Municipal Director of the Ghana Education Service, Mrs Georgina Mensah, in her speech during the event held at Ho, indicated that children are fast in understanding lessons when they are taught in their local dialects and show interest in their academic activities.
She said in her area, literacy among learners has improved at the basic schools because of the use of the local dialect to teach the children, hence, it is prudent to equip the pupils with their mother tongues.
"Education, especially literacy, in the lower grades, is very successful; now most children can read…” she said.
She called on both government and non-government institutions to use the day to promote and outline policies to "support mother language”.
The Volta Regional Chairman of the Ghana Journalists Association (GIJ), Mr Kafui Bells Kanyi shared his experience of using his local dialect (Ewe) as a journalist and called for the need to always use the mother language.
He encouraged radio stations in the region to do programmes in the local language to promote and project it.
A representative of the International Child Development Programme (ICDP), Ghana, Ms Joyce Lanyo, bemoaned that foreigners who visit Ghana are always eager to learn indigenous languages but Ghanaians rather feel shy of their own language.
"When foreign volunteers come, the first thing they want to learn is the local language. Why is it that we are throwing that away?" She quizzed.
She praised musicians like Amakye Dede and Ofori Amponsah for using their songs to project Ghanaian dialects.
The Country Director of Pencils of Promise, Mr Freeman Gobah, who spearheaded the event, in an interview with Class News, urged parents to allow their children to speak the local dialect while learning the international ones.
Source: classfmonline.com/Albert Kuzor
Trending News
British High Commission donates protective equipment worth £260,000 to GAF
09:12NDC outdoors Naana Opoku-Agyemang April 24
11:46I am deeply saddened by the destruction caused by the recent fire at Madina Market-Alan Kyerematen
02:29NPP Performance Tracker emphasizes toilets over substantive infrastructure dev’t projects — Dr. Sa-ad Iddrisu
09:00Judgment day for former MASLOC boss, others today
11:14UEW distance education students call for MoE’s intervention over graduation requirement dispute
02:40NPP PWDs affirm support for Bawumia
08:54Sign Ghana National Service Authority Bill into law – NSS begs Akufo-Addo
10:53MoH receives first batch of donated medical supplies after a year-long port delay
02:51Parliament reconvenes late May, denies Bagbin delaying recall over NDC ties
08:37