By Love Wilhelmina Abanonave
The Country Director of the UNESCO in Ghana, Edmond Moukala, has urged publishers to ensure that textbooks and learning materials reflect Ghana’s history, culture and values.
He said locally produced educational materials help strengthen identity and empower students by connecting learning to their lived experiences.
“When a Ghanaian student opens a book published locally, written by a fellow citizen and rooted in their daily reality, they are not just acquiring literacy; they are acquiring dignity. Indigenous publishing transforms education from a process of passive consumption into a journey of active self-discovery and national empowerment,” he said.
Dr Moukala made the remarks during the 50th anniversary celebration and unveiling of a new logo by the Ghana Publishers Association in Accra.
He emphasised that language is more than a tool for communication, describing it as a repository of indigenous knowledge and a guardian of cultural heritage.
According to him, UNESCO’s International Decade of Indigenous Languages highlights the global need to protect and revitalise linguistic diversity.
Dr Moukala commended the Ghana Publishers Association for supporting the initiative and promoting the publication of books in local languages.
“By choosing to publish in Akan, Ewe, Ga, Dagbani and the many other vibrant languages of Ghana, you are ensuring that these ancestral tongues remain living, breathing vessels of modern thought,” he said.
He added that a strong local language publishing industry is essential to preserving cultural identity and ensuring that Ghanaian children can access quality books in their mother tongue.
Dr Moukala urged publishers to continue expanding opportunities for children to read materials that reflect their culture and experiences.
