The Ghana Education Service through the National Council for Curriculum Assessment has approved Gurune as a Ghanaian language to be taught in schools. Gurune is a language spoken by the Frafra people in the Upper East Region.
A letter signed by the Director General of GES, Professor Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa to the Upper East Regional GES director stated that NaCCA is therefore in a process of developing the appropriate teaching and learning materials for Kindergarten and Lower Primary Schools.
The advocacy for Gurune to be taught in schools over the years was unsuccessful until now. One key person who has been championing this advocacy is a Professor of Linguistics at the University of Education, Winneba, Ephraim Avea Nsoh, a native of the Upper East region.
Speaking to A1 Radio, Mr. Aveah could not hide his excitement over the approval of the language to be studied and taught in schools.
“I am excited to know that it was approved in 2020 and that now, all the paperwork is being done. It looks like things are taking shape. I must say I am very excited. For all my life, from day 1 as an academic till today, I have devoted my life to the development of the language and all other languages. For it to go into the classroom, that is the basic thing to anything to happen about the language, I am happy about it.”
“There are things that have been done for it to reach this stage. For me, the feeling is one of excitement.”
He has therefore called for a concerted effort from stakeholders, and opinion leaders for the sustainability of the language.
“We need the communities, the chiefs, groups like BONABOTO, Terabuureyela, and district assemblies to try and support the full implementation of the language for study in schools.”
He commended the Upper East Regional Director, Edward Azure for taking up measures on how the Gurune language can be studied especially in its spoken areas of the region.
Source: A1radioonline.com|101.1MHz|Mark Kwasi Ahumah Smith|Ghana
