The entire membership of Literacy Ambassadors Ghana, wish to congratulate Ghanaians as the country marks 62nd Anniversary of its Independence Day tomorrow. We say congrats and hurray for the milestone attained.
In sober reflection, it was the day that, the country totally weaned itself from the British Colonial Rule.
It was all joy how 62 years ago, Ghana marked this event of profound historical and political significance.
We, sincerely thank the Almighty God for how far He has brought us as a nation.
As a literacy foundation, it is prudent on our part to cease this opportune moment to enable us to salute all the senior citizens of this country who played significant roles in the struggle for freedom and nation-building especially in the area of education.
However, we must be quick to add that, our beloved nation still faces challenges such as corruption, unemployment, diseases, severe poverty, lack of social amenities, lawlessness, child labour, teenage pregnancy, vigilante miscreants, drug abuse, chieftaincy disputes, armed-robbery, illiteracy, poor and inadequate infrastructure in schools etc.
Education is the bedrock of every society and as a foundation that is committed to closing the illiteracy gap, by bringing literacy to the doorstep of all Ghanaian school pupils irrespective of their religion or social status through outreach programs in their respective schools, churches and communities etc.
It is, however, very sad to note that, at 62nd of independence, the majority of our basic school pupils have to still crowd over 1 English Textbook during reading lessons.
One cannot fathom how quality education can be promoted in an atmosphere of no or limited textbooks. Hardly would one see a school these days with a well-equipped library or an office with textbooks, story books, magazines, journals, newsletters, and periodicals.
So long as this situation of no textbooks is allowed to remain, pupils performance would also continue to dwindle.
It would make no sense to tell pupils to read when there are virtually no books around. In some schools, teachers are the only source of knowledge to pupils.
If the teacher should fail to give simplified notes, then the majority of pupils would not have anything to read on their own.
This ugly situation is very worrying and making it extremely difficult to inspire a life of reading among school pupils. Let us not forget that, reading is the key to learning.
The government must, therefore, make the supply of textbooks and other educative materials to schools a topmost priority so that every pupil can have access to a textbook during teaching and learning because the current situations in our schools is nothing good to write home about.
Parents on the other hand, must invest more into the education of their children.
The fact remains that, the government can make available to the child speckled social interventions, such as free uniform distribution, free feeding, capitation grants, etc but still the child may perform badly if textbooks are lacking.
Knowledge is derived through reading. Hardly the child can gain knowledge in an environment of no or inadequate books.
The government must make efforts aimed at reviving existing libraries by stocking the libraries with good and very interesting books.
There must also be plans by the government to start providing all schools without library facilities across the country with one.
We conclude by saying that, we need patriotism in order to put Ghana at an enviable position in the world.
Happy Independence Day Celebration in advance.
Long Live Ghana
Long Live Ghana Education Service
Long Live Literacy Ambassadors Ghana
Signed:
Mathias Tulasi.
CEO/Founder-LAG
Source: Thepressradio.com
