President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has assured the people of the Upper East Region, especially the Gurune-speaking people, that Gurune will soon be made an examinable subject in basic and second cycle institutions.
He revealed that he has tasked the Minister of Education, Matthew Opoku Prempeh, to ensure that processes are completed so that Gurune becomes one of the languages that is examinable as soon as practicable.
The Minister, he noted, will work with the Ghana Education Service(GES) and the University of Education(UEW) so that the longstanding demand of the Gurune-speaking people can be met.
“Another matter of equal importance has to do with the language of instruction being employed in schools in this region.
I have asked the Minister for Education, the Honourable Matthew Opoku Premepeh to work with the Ghana Education Service and the University of Education, Winneba to ensure that Gurune becomes one of the languages of teaching and learning in schools in the region,” President Akufo-Addo informed the Upper East House of Chiefs Thursday, October 8, 2020 when he met with the chiefs as part of his two-day tour of the Upper East Region.
Several prominent persons, and groups from the Gurune-speaking area, especially BONABOTO, a civil society organisation, have long advocated for the inclusion of Gurune in the list of languages taught and examined in basic and second-cycle institutions in the country.
Before the President’s announcement, a high-powered delegation from BONABOTO led by Lawrence Apalse, a Chief Director at the Ministry of Energy, had met with the Minister of Education to finalise the implementing modalities.
The National President of BONABOTO, Dr Andrew Akulaa, expressed gratitude to the President for his directive to the Minister.
He stressed that the human and material resource needed for the implementation was in place for the smooth take off of the programme, adding that BONABOTO will continue to support the teaching and learning of the Gurune language.
