MOTHER LANGUAGE DAY -Reminds me of Joy Standard Sch

Feb 21: MOTHER LANGUAGE DAY
-Reminds me of Joy Standard Sch

I was media consulting for Stephen Donkor, the director of Joy Standard Schools in Kumasi at his office when he received a call from a male student's father from Canada.

I heard Mr. Donkor speak:
"Please, whenever I speak to your son in English he responds in Twi. I don't understand why but he wouldn't tell me. Please, why is it so? "

I couldn't hear the caller but after their conversation Mr. Donkor briefed me that unknown to him, the student was transferred from a school in Canada to the Ghanaian school, Joy Standard, to learn and speak Twi well.
"Now I understand, " he remarked.

Growing up at Maase in Offinso in the Ashanti Region of Ghana, I frequented my neighbours' house and always heard their dad, Mr Amponsah, retired English language instructor, respond to them in Twi as they spoke English.
But he always corrected them when they erred in the English language.

My father wouldn't speak English to me but always corrected me when I erred.
And I always asked him whatever I didn't understand in Twi and he always coached me.

I apply the same principle to my children and I realise a balance of good Twi and English in them.
And more so, as I wholly uphold the L1 Policy (80% local language, 20% other) especially in public schools (before primary 4) , I make sure their teachers strictly apply it to them even when others may not prefer that for their wards.
People close to me shudder at how I speak standard Twi with my children and give them the translations in English.
This has tremendously improved their transfer of learning skill.

I, this day, advise all and sundry to do their best possible to let their children learn and use their mother language well as it enhances their transfer of learning skill.

LEARNING📖MATTERS, therefore, implores the Ghanaian National Council of Private Schools (GNACOPS) particularly to consider this admonition because the private schools overemphasise the English language at the expense of our invaluable indigenous ones.

Together change is possible!
Possible is everything!


✍🏽: Osei Kuffour
Fb: Osei Kuffour OK
E: okeditor5@gmail.com