Education Ministry in need of vernacular writers

Accra, Oct. 27, GNA - Mr Yaw Osafo-Maafo, Minster of Education and Sports, on Thursday said the Ministry was having difficulties getting writers to assist in the production of some particular vernacular textbooks for use at the basic school level.

The Minister told Parliament that the matter was of concern to the Ministry and steps were being taken to address the situation. Mr Osafo-Maafo was responding to a supplementary question on why some textbooks were only being translated into Ga, Asante Twi, Ewe, Gonja and Dagbani leaving out vernacular languages such as Dagaari, which would have taken care of the needs of people for instance in the two Upper Regions.

Mr Joseph Agbenu, NDC-Afram Plains North, had earlier, sought to find out from the Minister what research work had been carried out to produce vernacular reading textbook translated into various Ghanaian languages.

The Minster said the Government and the German Technical Co-operation had through the Assistance to Teacher Education Programme (ASTEP) project, developed a blueprint for three subjects including mathematics, which were being translated into Ga, Asante Twi, Ewe, Gonja and Dagbani.

He said a Teacher's Guide accompanied the books, which were for use at the lower primary level.

He said some of the books had been distributed to schools in the areas where those languages were spoken, adding that the Project planned to further develop books to cover all other subjects at the basic level based on the same content and translated into other official Ghanaian languages.

In response to another question, Mr Osafo-Maafo said a new curriculum in Early Childhood Development had been developed. "Also, an in-service training course based on the New Early Childhood curriculum is to be developed and implemented as from 2006.

"It is targeted that by the end of 2008, 85 per cent of kindergarten and nursery teachers would have received in-service training throughout the country," Mr Osafo-Maafo said. In a related development, Mr Stephen Kunsu, NDC-Kintampo North, wanted to find out from the Minister when a sports stadium would be constructed at Kintampo.

The Minster said: "As a step towards the provision of a sports stadium in Kintampo, like all other areas that need a sports stadium, we advise the local authorities to secure appropriate land for sports infrastructure for that purpose and start with some development. "The Ministry will gladly assist with technical advice and fencing of the inner perimeter."