Librarian Blames Low Standard Of English On Lack Of Reading Skills

Koforidua (Eastern Region), 27 Oct.

A senior lecturer in library studies at the University of Ghana, Mrs. Mary Boye, has attributed the low standard of English among pupils to the lack of reading skills. She was speaking at the first of a series of workshops organised by the Ghana Book Publishers Association (GBPA) in collaboration with the Canadian Organisation for Development through Education (CODE) for 40 primary school teachers in Koforidua. She called on parents and teachers to encourage children to read not only for intellectual purposes but also for recreation. Children should be properly introduced to literature and training colleges and teachers in the field should find a way of making the subject a pleasure despite the constraints in the school curriculum. Miss Grace Ofori Atta, a retired librarian, called for the provision of libraries in schools and the communities as a means for the acquisition of knowledge. She cautioned that the education reforms will not be successful unless the provision of libraries is given a priority. The executive secretary of the GBPA, Mr. Peter Kokoi, said the mounting of book fairs and workshops for teachers are the association's contribution towards the success of the education reform programme.

GRI NEWSREEL (2) - OCT 27, '97