Gurune Language Dev’t Association Petitions Gov’t

Members of the Gurune Language Development Association (GULDA), a group of Gurune language teachers based in the Upper East Region have expressed graved concerned about the non-examinable status of the Gurune language and culture at the Basic Education Certificate Examination and the West African Senior School Certificate levels. A situation, which according to them, would have serious academic effect on candidates in the region due to the computerized placement system. They expressed these misgivings through a petition filed through the Upper East Regional Minister, Mark Woyongo, to be forwarded to the President, John Evans Atta Mills for redress. According to the group, the language policy of the Educational Reform stipulates that the local language should be used as a medium of instruction from primary one to three and a core subject of study from Primary four to JHS three. In line with this policy, children from their early childhood education are supposed to learn their mother tongue before they are enrolled into the primary education to the highest level. The Vice Chairman of the group, Mr Patrick Aduko, explained that the Gurune is being taught and examined at the colleges of Education in Ghana since it became one of the Ghanaian languages studied at the University of Education, Winneba, in 1992. Some of these colleges each year produce over 200 competent Gurune teachers . Moreover, students in the region due to the absence of the language have no option than to write 5 out of 6 subjects or more subjects at the BECE and WASSE level, thus denying them the chance to make good grades and be placed in schools of their choice unlike their colleagues in the other regions. Their plight is even worsened by the revised subject combination to be written by the JHS candidates in the 2009/2010 academic year. This problem, Mr. Aduko noted, is compounded with the introduction of ICT as a core subject in all schools which will not written this year. This means that current candidates will be left to their fate since WAEC only considers six subjects for placement. A graduate Gurune lecturer at the University colleges of Education, Winneba, Samuel Atintono said the problem would also affect Gurune graduates and diploma teachers. He stressed that students in the region do not only risk the danger of not getting placement, but also likely to faces serious consequences if they happen to fail in one out of the five subjects. Mr Atintono therefore called on the authorities concern to act swiftly in averting the problem, adding that, the situation if not rectified, would demotivate the children to learn their language and culture.
GBC END IA/