Don’t prevent children from speaking local languages - MP

The Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Eric Kwakye Darfour has called on the management of schools to desist from prohibiting the speaking of local languages in their schools.

According to him, the prohibition made it difficult for students and pupils to learn and appreciate their own language adding that most times they were prevented from speaking the language which identifies them as Ghanaians.

“Much attention is focused on the speaking and learning of foreign languages especially English to the detriment of our own,” he said

The minister said there was the need for managements of schools to come up with innovative ways of making pupils learn and speak their own languages well.

Mr Kwakye Darfour made the statements during the Nyasapo Festival organised by the Eastern regional branch of the Centre for National Culture.

The festival themed: ‘Ghana at 60: Exhibiting togetherness in our collective identity through the local language” sought to bring together students and pupils from different schools in the region to imbibe in them the ideals and affluent nature of the Ghanaian language.

Students and pupils from different schools in Koforidua displayed and performed through drama and recited poems in the local languages to depict the Ghanaian culture.

Mr Darfour noted that “it is not to say that, it is not good to speak other languages, but it is more convenient to be able to write, read and express one’s self fluently, as a result of which one can communicate in any other language excellently.”

He therefore stressed the need for students and pupils to learn to speak their own language to enable them to grow to understand each other and coordinate in future to ensure the development of the country.

. Advising the students and pupils, Mr Darfour urged them to eschew bad counsel and stick to good morals and courtesy with which success and higher heights could be reached.

The Regional Minister commended the Centre for National Culture for organising the festival and appealed to them to organise the festival at the regional level to enable students to perform in the various local languages in the region.

For his part, the Eastern Regional Director of the Centre for National Culture, Mr Stephen Sedofu appealed to the government and other stakeholders to come to the aid of the Centre and help it complete its building project.