Teachers are not willing to teach local languages in schools – Christian Adinkra

Chairman of Adentan-Madina -Abokobi wing of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Christian Adinkra has revealed that a lot of trainee teachers are reluctant to study and teach local language in schools.

Mr. Adinkra said this while explaining the context of this year’s International Literacy Day theme – “Literacy for a human-centred recovery: Narrowing the digital divide” – on the Read A Book show.

He stated that the true meaning of literacy was the ability to read and write in any language but Ghanaians have made it look like literacy equals being proficient only in the English language.

"There aren’t teachers willing to study and teach the local language in schools anymore. Some Training institutions are even calling for them but no one is coming out. We are losing touch with our local literacy. The value we place on our kids is the value to express him or herself in the Queen’s language to the detriment of our local language so much that, if I send my child to my hometown and my child is unable to speak my local language and cannot communicate with her Grandmother and family members then do we say there is literacy"?

"Literacy really has to do with preparing and teaching the child to be able to communicate in his local language. So that child is already equipped to move on. China and other countries have developed their language so well and for you to penetrate their market you need to at least know some basics in their language".

Mr. Adinkra called on the government to incorporate technologies into the National Accelerated Literacy Project (NALAP) to make literacy more effective.

About NALAP

NALAP (National Accelerated Literacy Project) is a comprehensive and well-structured mother-tongue literacy program that emphasizes the use of Ghanaian language to improve the reading ability of children.

It also enhances the development of a highly-skilled labour base that impacts economic development.

Ghana’s literacy rate currently is 79 percent.

This year’s International Literacy Day focused on exploring the opportunities to spread technology-enabled literacy that includes all with key attention on how to position schools post covid-19.