By Jibril Abdul Mumuni
Accra, Feb 22, GNA- Mr. Samuel Asare Akuamoah, Deputy Chairperson in-charge of Operations, National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), has urged students to develop interest in learning and understanding Ghanaian languages.
He said the learning of the local languages should not be limited to speaking.
The learning of the local language, he said, could enhance cultural integration among various ethnic groups and tribes in the country.
“We urged them to develop the skill of reading and applying it so that they would be able to unearth the hidden knowledge and truths in the books…,’’ he said.
Mr Akuamoah gave the advice during the commemoration of this year’s International Mother Language Day, organised by the Ashiedu Keteke sub-metro office of the NCCE, the Sempe Basic School, and the Accra World Book Capital.
International Mother Language Day, a UNESCO-approved Day, is marked on February 21, each year to promote multilingual education in the mother tongue.
The theme this year is: “Multilingual Education Is A Pillar of Intergenerational Learning”.
This year’s event was observed in 15 selected schools in 15 districts in the Greater Accra region.
Reading activities took place simultaneously on Wednesday, February 21, 2024, across the 15 districts to drum home the importance of promoting Ghanaian languages for inclusive education and social change.
The Sempe School session featured many activities, including a book reading session between the officials of NCCE and the students.
Mr. Edward Yaw Udzu, Member of Accra Work Book Capital, underscored the significance of reading books in the local language.
He advised the students to make a conscious effort to read books in local languages, as speaking would limit their potential for reading books in local languages.
“Research has proven that the human mind is not programmed to read; the human mind is programmed to listen, see, and hear,” he said, stressing that, “the fact is that for the mind to comprehend something, it needs to read. So, you will find that people can stay in various communities and end up speaking the community’s language.”
He added that: “Even in the United Kingdom, people can speak the English Language, but they cannot write in it. Before you are able to read and write, you must make a conscious effort to be reading, and as you read, you will be able to write.”
As part of the effort to encourage the reading of books in the local language, Mr Udzu said, the Accra World Book Capital, organised reading sessions in various schools, donated books to schools, and established reading clubs in schools.
GNA