By Rachel Kakraba and Jacqueline Ampo
Ghana will on Wednesday 21st February join the global community to observe, International Mother Language Day.
The day was first proclaimed by UNESCO and later adopted by the UN General Assembly, to draw attention to the role languages play in promoting inclusion and achieving Sustainable Development Goals.
This year’s event is being commemorated under the theme, “multilingual education – a pillar of learning and intergenerational learning”.
Speaking to GBCNEWS, the Head of Client Service and the Business Unit of the Bureau of Ghana Languages, Enoch Eduful Annan, said, the theme is crucial for inclusive education and the preservation of indigenous languages, by starting education in learner’s mother tongue and gradually introducing other languages, thereby facilitating effective learning.
“And so, this year’s theme is Multilingual Education is a Pillar of Intergenerational Learning. And the reason or the idea behind the theme for this year is the fact that we have come to the realization that gradually, most people are losing their mother tongue”
He said as the government’s agency of promoting Ghanaian languages the Bureau, will continue to promote and preserve Ghanaian languages and cultures.
“Over the years, the Bureau has had over several publications in most Ghanaian languages. Another thing that the Bureau is also championing is to have most of our documents in official document of the government in Ghanaian language”
Adding on he said “we are saying that if we want to have a very good education system, then there should be that multilingual education where people, can use their mother tongue as well as whichever language that has been adopted by them”
He said the Bureau is advocating a “No English-Speaking Day” as part of the commemoration of the annual International Mother Language Day. This is to encourage Ghanaians to feel free to interact in their mother tongue, wherever they find themselves.
“Let me use this medium to echo this, that we are launching something which will be known as the No English Speaking Day as part of the International Mother Language Day celebration, where that day, every Ghanaian will speak their mother tongue wherever you find yourself. Be it the Parliament House. But wherever you find yourself, in the banks or wherever, if you get there, speak in the courtrooms or everywhere, they are not going to use the English”
Mr. Annan called on the government, private NGOs, agencies, and other well-meaning Ghanaians to support the Bureau in projecting indigenous languages.