The Asante-Akim South District Education Director, Mr. Ignatius Mwinbe Ere-Der, has identified the inability of pupils at the early childhood development level to read as a major factor accounting for poor academic performance.
He indicated that about 1.1 million children from the kindergarten up to class two were unable to read - a situation that was deeply worrying.
He was opening a five-day capacity building workshop on the teaching of Ghanaian languages for circuit supervisors held under the “USAID Partnership for Education Programme”.
It was jointly organized by the Ghana Education Service (GES), the Education Ministry and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
The wide range of topics treated included the “Importance of reading in Ghanaian languages and teaching in mother tongue”, “Importance of oral language development for reading and developing” and “Assessing phonological awareness”.
Mr. Ere-Der applauded USAID for the unswerving support it had been giving to the development of the nation’s education.
He noted that the use of the local language as medium of instruction would go a long way to improve reading and writing among school children.
Mr. Joseph Boamah, Coordinator of the Programme, said participants would help to train other circuit supervisors, basic school heads and kindergarten teachers.
He added that if those at the early childhood development level were able to write and read a solid foundation would be built for strong academic performance.
He said a total of 100 selected districts and municipalities across the nation would benefit from the programme.
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