The Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, has said national development aspirations do not require abandonment of indigenous languages and cultural identity.
On the contrary, she said linguistic diversity was a strategic national asset that could drive inclusive participation, strengthen social cohesion and enhance human capital development, particularly when local languages were used as primary medium of instruction, governance and national identity building.
“Language is a riverbed through which culture flows. It is through language that the traditions, values and identity of the people are transmitted from one generation to another.
A society without its language loses its identity,” Ms Gomashie added.
This was contained in a speech read on behalf of the minister during the commemoration of the 27th anniversary of International Mother Language Day in Accra on Monday.
Event
The International Mother Language Day was instituted by UNESCO in 1999 to be celebrated annually on February 21.
It aims at promoting linguistic diversity, preservation of endangered languages and advancement of multilingual education globally.
The event which was organised by the Bureau of Ghana Languages was on the theme: “Youth voices on multilingual education.”
In attendance were government officials, traditional authorities, language scholars, educators, students and cultural practitioners.
Global examples
Citing experiences from Asian economies such as South Korea, China, Singapore and Taiwan, Ms Gomashie observed that rapid industrialisation and technological advancement in those countries were achieved while grounding education, governance and national identity in their native languages, alongside strong second-language skills for global trade.
She described as alarming reports that nearly 3,000 languages worldwide could disappear by the end of the century, calling it a global cultural emergency that demanded deliberate and collective action.
The minister cautioned that neglecting indigenous languages weakened productivity and identity, and therefore, urged parents, educators and policymakers to promote local languages to strengthen moral foundations, cohesion and national development.
“I will like everyone to speak their mother language proudly, practice their culture faithfully and pass this on to their children.
This is the surest path to meaningful and sustainable national development. Let us appreciate what we have,” she said.
Policy restoration
The Executive Director of the Ghana Bureau of Languages, Ebenezer Ahiator, called on the Ministry of Education and relevant authorities to restore the compulsory teaching of Ghanaian languages in all secondary schools.
The policy that existed in the 1990s had been discontinued in some institutions.
He urged parents, educators and policymakers to actively teach children their mother tongue, reminding them that failure to safeguard the country’s linguistic heritage would have lasting consequences on future generations.
During a panel discussion, speakers also said that mother-tongue instruction significantly improved classroom comprehension, confidence and participation.
They observed that learners often disengaged when teaching was delivered solely in English.
They underscored the need to consolidate language-in-education policies, invest in materials and technology, and reposition national languages as valuable cultural and developmental assets.
Source:
www.graphic.com.gh