The Upper East BONABOTO Union has welcomed the introduction of Gurene as an examinable subject at the 2027 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), while calling for the recruitment of more teachers to support its implementation.
Speaking on Bolga FM’s Tinmaalgo Sanga, members of the Union said the development was an important step towards strengthening the teaching of Gurene and preserving the language and culture of its speakers.
The Union said it had previously advocated for Gurene to become an examinable subject, noting that although the language had received recognition from the Ghana Education Service, its examination had not been operationalised.
Upper East Regional President of BONABOTO, Dr Esmond Balfour, said the region already has trained Gurene teachers but called on the government to recruit more as schools prepare for the 2027 BECE.
He said having adequate qualified teachers would ensure pupils receive the instruction needed to read and write Gurene effectively.
A teacher at Bolgatanga Senior High School, Emmanuel Atibire, said making Gurene examinable could encourage students and parents to take the study of the language more seriously.
He said formal instruction would improve students’ command of written Gurene, including their ability to correctly spell names in the language.
Another contributor, Elias Yen, said teaching Gurene in schools could also help preserve aspects of the culture that are traditionally transmitted through the language.
He cited storytelling, cultural displays and the use of Gurene in everyday activities, including counting money, as areas that could benefit from greater literacy in the language.
BONABOTO therefore called for adequate teacher recruitment and educational materials to ensure the effective implementation of Gurene as a BECE subject from 2027.
A1 Radio | 101.1 MHz | Moses Anaba Azubire | Bolgatanga
