Illiteracy is the 'malaria' of the mind - Kosi Kedem

Accra, June 21, GNA – Mr Kosi Kedem, Chairman of Ghana Library Board, on Tuesday bemoaned the country's fallen illiteracy standards and noted that it had persisted and become the 'malaria' of the mind.

He said because “Efforts made were half-heartedly and haphazardly implemented, illiteracy, just like malaria has stubbornly refused to be eliminated.”

Mr Kedem said these at the launch of the 10th Book Fair in Accra on the theme: “Enhancing Literacy Through Libraries, a Reading Nation is a Winning Nation”.

He said in the nation's anxiety to design appropriate educational system coupled with the many reforms “We have abandoned what used to be regarded as the well-tested basic fundamentals of education of reading, writing and arithmetic and the three Hs- Head, Heart and Hand.”

The fair will showcase Ghana's and India's cultural heritage, especially in the literacy sphere and in addition provide an opportunity for the book industry to display their new editions and marketplace for trading of rights among stakeholders.

A platform would also be created for dialogue with policy makers to find solutions to enhance the reading culture especially among school-going children, address issues that relate to books and their impact on national development.

Mr Kedem said some cynics strongly held the view that African Governments had neglected the UN Education for all Programme because of the fear that a literate and enlightened population would have the capacity and ability to hold them to account.

He regretted that about 50 per cent of primary school graduates could barely read or write and only 10 per cent of them had access to university education, which had compelled the universities to institute remedial classes in English for their first year undergraduates.

“A disciplined society is that which can record, read and implement its laws more correctly. A nation that cannot read or write is seriously handicapped. Such a nation will not only lack development but will be dominated and exploited by a nation which can read and, therefore have access to current, relevant and accurate information,” he said.

The Ghana Library Board Chairman said libraries played a supportive and complementary role as well as a support tool in the formal acquisition of reading skills.

However, he noted that the unique role of the libraries, especially public libraries were to increase reading proliferation and add value to reading by serving as a free and open access to information and knowledge without discrimination and also internalise and cultivate the habit of voluntary and independent reading.

Mr Kedem suggested that public, static and mobile libraries be funded and strengthened to provide good and readily available materials to their clientele in a conducive and friendly atmosphere.

He said book writers, publishers, printers and distributors should be supported by the State through the Book Development Council to produce cheap and affordable but qualitative reading materials.

Mr Asare Yamoah, President of Ghana Book and Publishers Association, said this year's launch scheduled for November 1-6 would focus on India due to the success of the book industry adding that the relationship with India dates back to the 1970's.

He said the next phase of the partnership would be to encourage the transfer of technology and information through project partnerships, and setting up of satellite print sites in Ghana and parts of Africa, and called on the Book Development Council to reposition itself at the centre of the project to ensure direct governmental involvement.

Mr Mahama Ayariga, Deputy Minister of Education, in a speech read on his behalf, said it was the desire of government to see the industry grow adding that government would provide the needed support to make the citizenry an enlightened one.

He commended organisers of the fair for their conscious efforts at increasing literacy rates despite the numerous challenges in the sector.

Mr Ramesh Guatam, Second Secretary, India High Commission in Ghana, said India was delighted to be part of the fair to share ideas on how their industry had succeeded.

He said more than 50 stakeholders from the Indian Book Industry would participate in the fair and gave the assurance that the High Commission would give all the needed support for the success of the fair.

Professor Atukwei Okai, a renowned writer and poet, suggested that the Ghana Library Board should make an effort to buy at least 2,000 copies of all published books in the country, to stock libraries and help improve the learning skills of Ghanaians.

The Ghana International Book Fair promised to offer a unique opportunity for stakeholders in the book industry and other related sectors of the economy to network and trade.

This is expected to attract publishers, writers, printers, booksellers, librarians, students, educationists and literary agents.

GNA