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Government urged to review the
national language policy
Kumasi, March 17, GNA – Government and all stakeholders in
the education sector have been urged to have a second look
at the national language policy which makes it compulsory
for teachers to use English language as a medium of
instruction at the basic education level.
Mrs. Aba Brew-Hammond, a lecturer at the Publishing Studies
Department of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and
Technology (KNUST), who made the call, explained that
children could learn better with the local language which
their parents transmit to them right after birth, saying
children grasp other cultural and moral values from their
local language.
The seminar was organized by the College of Arts and Social
Sciences of KNUST dubbed “Intra-College Seminar” for the
students of the university.
She said this at a seminar on the theme: “Projecting
Monolinqual Ideologies in Multilinqual Classrooms in Ghana:
A Critical Look at the English – only language in Education
Policy”.
She stated that, it was not fair to use only English
language to teach since it created problems for children in
understanding whatever they were taught, adding that
teaching children with bi-lingual however could pave way for
easy understanding before being introduced to English
language as a medium of instruction.
Professor Daniel Buor, Provost of College of Art and Social
Sciences, who chaired the seminar commended the lecturer for
her research into the languages in the country and said any
attempt at using only one local language as our lingua
franca could generate into chaos but the local languages
should be used at school during the child’s formative period
before introducing them to English language.
Rev Dr Nathan Samwini, a lecturer at the Department of
Religious Studies at the KNUST, on his part said there was
the need for a national formula for development and make
sure any government who would come and meet it could
continue its implementation.
He stated that the development of the nation depended on
continuity of planning and effective implementation of good
policies instead of changing policies by every government
who come to power.
GNA
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