The Kojo Ashong Mantse, Nii Agortey Clottey IV has called on the Ghana Education Service (GES) to pay closer attention to language use in rural schools, arguing that children learn best when instruction is delivered in a language they understand.
Kojo Ashong Mantsɛ, Agortey Clottey IV, made the call while participating in the Jacob Foundation Fellow-Led Conference on Language, Learning Variability and Children’s Education: New Research Insights, Inclusive Practices and Emerging Realities in Accra.
He noted that many children in rural communities grow up speaking their local language at home, largely because some parents do not understand English. This, he said, creates challenges when pupils are placed in classrooms where teaching is conducted exclusively in English.
According to him, the language barrier often leaves young learners confused and emotionally distressed, making effective teaching and learning difficult. He likened the situation to “writing Chinese on the board for a child who cannot read it.”
Kojo Ashong Mantsɛ said the introduction of mother-tongue-based instruction through the Jacob Foundation’s intervention has significantly improved pupils’ confidence, reduced fear and crying in classrooms, and enabled children to better understand lessons and express themselves.
He further urged the Ghana Education Service to consider posting teachers who can speak local languages to rural communities, stressing that such a move would enhance learning outcomes and deepen community involvement in education.
The traditional leader also welcomed recent efforts by GES to introduce local languages, including Ga, into early childhood education, describing the initiative as a positive step that should be expanded nationwide.
