Using local dialect is not a panacea to fallen standards of education

There is no scientific research to prove the assertion that, children who use their local dialect are academically better than those who use English language.

hamiltonEnglish language at the moment is the means of communication in which almost all the text books are produced. It is therefore interesting for anyone to suggest that, schools abandon English language for a local dialect.

A seasoned Educationist, Mrs. Esther Hamilton in an interview with rainbowradio.co.uk is opposed to the Ministry of Education’s directive that, basic schools across the country should use the local dialect of their community.

She noted that, English proficiency even in the tertiary level is a challenge inspite of its early usage.

‘The use of local dialect in basic schools is not a panacea to the fallen standards of education’.

Mrs Hamilton, a former Headmistress of Accra Academy Senior High, Apam Senior High Schools and a Director of two grade A Junior High Schools with over 30 years of teaching experience said, the directive comes with a baggage of challenges which makes the directive difficult to implement.

Citing the Training Institutions, she noted that, teachers-trainees are posted to various communities without recourse to their mother tongue yet, they are not taught local dialect in the training schools and wonders how a teacher posted to a community whose dialect the teacher is not familiar with would fare.

She disclosed that, children who are vocal have a high level of self-confidence even outside the school walls.

She disputed the notion that, China and Japan among other countries developed based on the use of a common language. Development she said, goes beyond the use of a common language.

She has therefore urged the Education Ministry to give the directive a second thought