The Deputy Education Minister, Clement Apaak, has clarified that the use of the Mother tongue as a medium of teaching applies only from Kindergarten to Primary Three.
According to Clement Apaak, the clarification was necessary to settle the ongoing conversations surrounding the minister’s declaration.
Speaking at the launch of the Foundational Learning Action Tracker on Monday, October 27, Deputy Education Minister Clement Apaak explained, “The Honourable Minister for Education has asked me to clarify that the policy directive he announced on Friday regarding the compulsory use of mother tongue as a medium of instruction in our public basic schools is confined, emphasis, confined to KG up to Primary 3.
“In other words, KG and Lower Primary. Having clarified what seems to have given a few persons sleepless nights, I bring you greetings,” the deputy minister said.
His clarification comes following remarks from Haruna Iddrisu, the Minister of Education, who has instructed the Director General of Ghana Education Service (GES) to make the use of teaching in the Ghanaian Language or mother tongue compulsory at the basic level.
The Education Minister explained that the move is aimed at improving learning outcomes and comprehension among pupils at the basic level.
Speaking in the presence of President John Mahana and the GES Director-General, Haruna Iddrisu stated, “Mr President, the story is told of a young girl whose teacher, somewhere in the Ashanti Region, went in and was waxing English, teaching at the early stages of development.
Then the child told the teacher that, ‘3y3 a, ka Twi, kakra na mente ase3’ which translates to: ‘Please speak a little Twi, because I don’t understand’”.
He further narrated, “So, Mr President, in line with that and with your authority, I’m directing the Director General of the Ghana Education Service and the GES that from today, teacher use of mother tongue instruction is now compulsory in all Ghanaian schools” his directive was met with loud cheers from the ground gathered.
He emphasised that the GES must ensure the strict enforcement of this directive.
“The GES is to ensure strict enforcement of this because that child, that Ghanaian child, was not born into an English family, but a proud Asante Akan family and deserves to learn,” he added.
Additionally, Dr Joyce Tawiah-Mensah, a Senior Lecturer at the University of Cape Coast’s Department of Basic Education, has called on the government to show commitment to the effective implementation of mother tongue instruction in Ghanaian schools.
Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Monday, October 27, Dr Tawiah-Mensah stated, “It’s something that we can do, but we need political commitment in terms of teacher training, materials and others”.