Seasoned Communications Expert and former Editor of the Daily Graphic, Mr. Yaw Boadu Ayeboafo, has stated that the time has come for the learning of Akan(twi) and other Ghanaian languages to be taken seriously. Mr. Boadu Ayeboafo, advocated for more use of the local language in teaching and learning at the lower levels of education when he addressed the Annual Quiz and Debate Competition of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology(KNUST) Primary School.
According to him, mother tongue education is very fundamental for the development of any child because all the societies that are advanced and developed attained these heights because they taught in their mother tongue.
He therefore challenged the school authorities to organise subsequent events in their mother tongue. ‘If we are able to unravel the complications of the language of English for children to understand, we should be able to unravel the complexities of the local language, twi.
Mr. Ayeboafo advised the pupils to aspire to be the best they can and never feel inferior to anybody. ‘Nobody can be better than you in everything. ‘Nature endows us differently, but it is when we put all together collectively that we have a society that makes progress for the benefit of all’ he ended.
In his address, Deputy Head of the KNUST Basic School, Napoleon deGraft Etison, revealed that the competition is the third in the series of the Annual event. He explained that debates are part of educational activities to reinvent the educational system and to give pupils a break from traditional classroom learning.
According to Mr. deGraft Etison, there is a dire need to revive the debate culture in schools, as technology can act as a facilitator by bringing innovation to debates and ensuring active participation among students and pupils.
Giving a background to the motion for the debate, the Deputy Head of the Basic School said since the early1960’s, extra classes have become part of Ghana’s educational studies but as to whether it contributes effectively to a child’s effective learning, still remains a mirage.
The former principal of the Kumasi Polytechnic and current President of the Anglican University College Dr. Lord Asamoah, Public Relations Officer for the Kumasi Metropolitan GES, Nana Asiamah Yeboah and some lecturers from the Department of English, KNUST were the judges of the competition.
At the end of the competition, the Mauve Team beat the Wine Team with 213 points against 197 points for debating against the motion: ‘Extra Classes Contribute to the Effective Learning of a Child’. All the debaters were presented with medals and certificates. The winning team and the best debater, Master King Solomon Shittu, were presented with cash prizes and products from sponsors.
In a related development, the pupils organised an arts and craft exhibition and cultural dance performances. The exhibition saw the handworks of pupils being showcased in footwear, leather works, ceramic products, paintings, textiles, knitted wears, soap and collage works and toys made from waste among others.