Mr Atiogbe Nicholas Tetteh, the Ledzokuku Municipal Director, National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), says it is important for Ghanaian parents to teach their children the local language to promote inclusiveness in the country.
He said language had become a barrier to inclusivity when it came to getting information.
“Studying the local languages helps children to understand English Grammar better and improves their overall communication and problem-solving skills,” he said.
Mr Tetteh was speaking during the 2024 International Local Language Day commemoration at the Ledzokuku Krowor Municipal Assembly (LEKMA) North Cluster of Schools on the theme: “Multilingual education: A pillar of learning and intergenerational learning.”
The International Mother Language Day was first announced by the United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) on November 17, 1999, but was formally recognised by the UN General Assembly in 2002, with February 21 set as the commemoration day across the world.
“Languages carry cultural elements, so if a language dies, it’s like a whole way of life is dead,” he noted.
The NCCE Director suggested the translation of online contents into local languages for every Ghanaian to have access to information.
He said understanding local languages enriched and enhanced cognitive development, which helped students score higher marks, and promoted cultural awareness and competency.
Mr Fidel Nii Akuffo Bortey, the Tema West Municipal NCCE Director, who graced the occasion, urged the pupils to preserve their heritage and lineage by studying and speaking their local languages to avoid its extinction.
The pupils were guided to read books in the Ga Language.
GNA
LS/KOA/ABD
24 Feb 2024
Caption: TM065 Mother Tongue Pic 1
TM065 Mother Tongue Pic 2
TM065 Mother Tongue Pic 3
