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Use indigenous languages to hasten development
Winneba (C/R), Feb. 24, Ghanadot/GNA - Dr
Emmanuel Nicholas Abaka, a language specialist at the
University of Education, Winneba, has said that indigenous
languages are the best tools the nation could use to hasten
her socio-economic development.
He said strenuous efforts must be made to ensure the
effective teaching and learning of Ghanaian languages in all
basic schools in the country without any impediments.
Speaking at a symposium organized by the Departments of
Ghanaian Languages, University of Education, Winneba (UEW),
to round off activities marking this year's 'International
Mother Tongue Day' Dr, Abaka, said the only means by which
the youth could properly and freely develop their individual
God-given talents to facilitate the real economic
emancipation the nation was yearning for was through the
ability to express themselves well in their mother tongue.
The theme for this year's celebration was: 'The Role of
Mother Tongue in National Development'.
Dr Abaka cited Japan, South Korea, China, India, Malaysia
and other developed nations that had successfully made
meaningful impacts in their socio-economic developments
through effective and sustained usage of their indigenous
languages.
He said unless the teaching and study of the indigenous
Ghanaian languages at the basic level of education was
encouraged and sustained, it would be difficult for the
nation to advance in her socio-economic development at all
levels.
Dr Abaka said the time had come for Ghanaians to change
their attitudes towards the speaking of their indigenous
languages, adding that “We can never substitute our
indigenous languages with English”, because it is one's
indigenous language which gives him or her true identity.
Mr E Avea Nsoh, Department of Gur-Gonja Education, UEW,
reminded the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education
Service (GES) of their responsibility to ensure the
implementation of the education policy calling for the
teaching and learning of all Ghanaian Languages for which
books had already been written.
Mr Nsoh, a Senior Lecturer of the University of Education,
Winneba, was not happy that efforts to secure funds for the
printing and publication of written Ghanaian languages had
not received favourable response from both the Ministry of
Education and the GES.
He described the situation as a great setback to the
development of the indigenous Ghanaian languages and urged
the government to do something about it without delay.
Mr Nsoh said since the teaching and learning of indigenous
languages played vital roles in all aspects of nation
building, government should leave no stone unturned to
ensure that professional language teachers in the
educational sector were given the required materials and
encouragement to function effectively and efficiently all
the time for the benefit of the children and the nation.
Mr Joseph Yaw Owusu-Kwarteng, Public Relations Officer of
the Awutu-Effutu-Senya District Mutual Health Insurance
Scheme (AESDMHIS) in his contribution added his voice to the
call on the Government to provide the necessary financial
requirements of indigenous language book writers to enable
them to publish books they had written for the benefit of
present and future generations.
Mr Owusu-Kwarteng called on indigenous Ghanaian language
book writers to come out with dictionaries in various local
languages to help in the teaching and learning of the
languages.
He advised fresh students of the University of Education,
Winneba, who were not registered with the District Mutual
Health Insurance Scheme to do so to enable the scheme take
care of their health needs.
Mr Owusu-Kwarteng also counselled those with introductory
letters from other districts to present them to officials of
the AESDMHIS for processing to enable them to access
affordable healthcare.
GNA
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