Education Minister launches book

Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, Minister of Education, on Wednesday launched a five-series story book in both conventional format and brail to meet the reading needs of the blind community and the larger society.

The book titled: “Who told the most incredible story”? is a collection of tales - volumes one up to five - comprising 45 narratives, and reflects diverse indigenous Ghanaian culture, style and language making it suitable for both young and adult readers.

Prof Opoku-Agyemang said she researched vigorously earlier publications and writings, and came to the understanding that there was the need to create the right story-telling environment to expand both adult and young readers’ versions of their tales.

She noted that education entails quality thinking and imagination, which are essentially driven by one’s ability to listen raptly and read profoundly.

“Listening and reading are fundamental to learning,” she said, highlighting the need for parents and guardians to inculcate early reading habits into children and making time to listen to their [children] stories.

The publication of the book adds to the numerous works of Prof Opoku-Agyemang who was the first woman to serve as Vice Chancellor of a Ghanaian university – University of Cape Coast, after years of teaching and heading departments, faculties and the school of graduate studies at the university.

Guests at the launch described the books as a “delightful and wonderful collection” coming from years of field research work that partly informed courses, the professor taught in African and Oral Literature, which might have shaped her creative writing.

Nana Kwabena Nketia, Omanhene of Esikado, Sekondi who presided over the launch noted that about 90 per cent of books in the country came from a particular culture that had greatly influenced the minds of Ghanaians.

He expressed the hope that the book which content was reflecting in local culture would help to develop and deepen the indigenous cultural values and open up the minds of the people.

He said it would also help to give readers the right exposure and a better perspective to the things relating to their own environment.

“Who told the most incredible story,” is published by Afram Publications Limited, Ghana’s leading and most reputable indigenous book-publishing house that specialises in local literature and textbooks for Schools.

The company is branded locally and internationally as the specialist publishing house in materials for pre-school education and basic education in the country, with significant expansion to secondary and tertiary institutions.