Education Director appeals for institution of local languages in basic schools

Mrs Agnes Atagabe, Upper East Regional Director of Education, has appealed to the Ministry of Education for the approval of three Ghanaian languages to be taught in primary schools in the Region.

The languages are Gurune, spoken in the Bolgatanga and Bongo areas, Kusaal in the Bawku East Municipality and Bawku West and Buli spoken in the Builsa District.

She made the call in Bolgatanga at the weekend, during a visit of the Minister of Education, Mrs Betty Mould Iddrisu, who was in the Region to ascertain problems confronting education in the Region, and to plan strategies to improve on the sector.

Mrs Atagabe said if the languages were approved and taught in the schools, children would have learnt their mother language, which would also assisted them to speak and write the English Language better.

She said as compared to other Regions, and except in the Kassena Nankana area, all other schools in Upper East did not present candidates in Ghanaian language in the Basic Education Certificate Examination, which affected their placement at the Senior High Schools.

To ensure quality education, Mrs Atagabe said the Regional Director of Education was committed to providing exemplary education for students.

To prove this, she said 52 per cent of pupils qualified in 2010 for placement at the senior high and technical institutes in the Region as compared to lesser numbers in the previous years.

Mrs Atagabe expressed worry that the Regional Directorate of Education office was in deplorable state, a Junior High School classroom was being used as Talensi Nabdam District Education Office, a rented house was being used as Kassena Nankana Education Office and part of the assembly block was being used as Builsa District Education Office.

Source: GNA