It is true that complementary education plays an important role in helping a child to learn other languages in school. Through a non-formal education program, three brothers of the same mother and father who never attended school from day nursery through to primary six are now university graduates.
The three brothers hail from Dalaanyili, a village in the Nanumba South District of the Northern Region. They started their formal education by enrolling in junior high school form one at Central Junior Secondary School in Bimbilla.
The three brothers: John Uwumborjeemi Nlenkiba, Emmanuel N-yajache Nlenkiba, and Abraham Njonaan Nlenkiba mastered their local language – Likpakpaanl through non-formal education. Thus, what is popularly known as “evening teaching” and through the knowledge gained, they were able to read and write the English language effortlessly, which helped them to enroll in what is now known as Junior High school to continue with formal education.
John Uwumborjeemi Nlenkiba is the third born of the mother of nine children. He enrolled in Central Junior Secondary School from 1990-to-1993, where he became the Assistant School Prefect (ASP) and was able to emerge as the second-best student with an aggregate of eight (08) in the Basic Education Certificate Examination.
He proceeded to the Wesley Grammar Secondary School and after successfully passing SSSCE, he gained admission into Ghana Christian College and Seminary, where he pursued a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies.
He grew from there and became a pastor before proceeding to the University of Ghana where he graduated with a Master of Arts in the study of Religion. He currently reads and writes in languages such as English, Likpakpaanl, Dagbani, Mampruli, Twi, and Arabic.
He currently serves as a pastor and a part-time lecturer at the Ghana Christian and Leadership Training Institute based in Tamale.
Emmanuel N-yajache Nlenkiba is the second to last born. He also started his education at the Central Junior Secondary School from 2001-2004 and after becoming successful in the B.E.C.E, he gained admission into the Ghanata Senior High School but dropped out due to financial challenges.
He re-enrolled into Fumbisi Preparatory J.S.S and came out with an aggregate 11, gaining him admission into Nandom Secondary School where he read General Science. After WASSCE, he gained admission into Ankaful Mental Health Nurses Training College where he graduated with Diploma in Psychiatric Nursing.
He served as a psychiatric nurse for seven years in the Presbyterian Health Center in Widana in Upper East Region. He then proceeded to the University of Cape Coast where he is now in his final year pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychiatric Nursing.
Abraham Njonaan Nlenkiba is the last born of their mother, he and his immediate elder brother enrolled into J.S.S in the same year. Abraham got an aggregate of 10 and gained admission into Notre Dame Seminary Secondary school in Navrongo, where he offered a General Arts program and also served as the Development Prefect of the school.
He gained admission into the University of Ghana where he read Bachelor of Arts Degree Program in Social work with Sociology. After graduating in 2014, he taught as a subject teacher in Holy Spirit Senior High School in Chamba from 2015-2018 and got an appointment with Ghana Education service where he was posted to the Bimbilla Senior High School as a subject teacher for one year.
He took his transfer to Tamale Girls’ Senior High School where he serves as a subject teacher to date. He is also currently pursuing a Bachelor of Laws Program.
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The story of these three brothers can only point to one thing; non-formal education or teaching a child to read and write using his own language can produce equal if not more results to formal education.
Source: Ananpansah Bartholomew Abraham
