He believes the government must be ready to make a lot of investment to ensure the desired outcomes are achieved from the teaching of the language, including recruiting and training enough teachers who can teach the language effectively across the country.

[contextly_sidebar id=”vwggcGXyBHwEycEywc3xjjCD1Sotj8JX”]“When we consider that Ghana is boarded by Burkina Faso, Cote d’ivoire and Togo, and French is the only means of communications, I think that is in a good place and it is something that we need to encourage. The challenge though, is that we have to be in the position where we have enough teachers who are qualified to teach the language… the second thing is, where are the labs? I’m talking about audiovisual labs, audiovisual equipment, headphones and others,” he said on Eyewitness News on Thursday.

President Akufo-Addo, who was on a two-day official visit to Togo, said that the government is working to ensure that from the next academic year, the study of French language is made compulsory from basic through to Senior High School.

According to him, Ghana, which is surrounded by three francophone countries, must not be seen to be lagging behind in communicating in the French language, adding that being proficient in the language will “empower our population with the capacity to survive in this ECOWAS environment.”

But Anis Haffar said although the study of different languages is important, the government must be ready to ensure that the means of making the teaching of the language effectively is available.

“If we can teach French, English and a mother tongue side-by-side with each other, there is nothing wrong with that, but we need to have the means by which we can do it properly.  The last thing that we want to do is to start something that we cannot finish,” he said on Eyewitness News.

“At some point in time, there has to be the element of choice… When we begin to do things as compulsory, for me as an educator who has a liberal mindset, I find it difficult to accept where there is a compulsion.”

A lecturer at the Institute of African Studies of the University of Ghana, Dr. Obadele Kambon, has however said that government must channel its efforts into the strengthening the teaching of African languages in schools rather than French.

According to him, although the study of French as an international language in schools is important, the country must prioritize the teaching of African languages such as Yuroba, Kiswahili and Wolof, which he said better promotes African collectiveness culture.

Meanwhile, the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), has welcomed the decision by the government.  The General Secretary Ofori Acheampong in an interview on the subject, said the idea is long overdue.

–

By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @jnyabor

The post Study of French mustn’t be compulsory – Anis Haffar appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

He said the method was proposed by Mr Paulo Freire, a Brazilian educationist, in his book titled “Pedagogy of the Oppressed in Modern Education”.

Mr Haffar said this at the maiden edition of the Mfantsipim Old Boys Association (MOBA) annual engagement series on the topic: “Advancing Ghana’s Progress Through Effective Professionalism Thinking and Looking Ahead- Dwen Hwe Kan’’, in Accra.

He urged teachers not to consider themselves as the repository of knowledge and to allow students to contribute to teaching and to study to gain the expected results.

The MOBA Annual Engagement Series forms part of activities earmarked to mark Mfantispim’s 140^th Anniversary and also contribute to the public discourse on issues of national interest.

The MOBA Annual Engagement Series addressed saw resourced persons addressing issues concerning Education, Industry, Infrastructure and Finance in the country.

Mr Haffar said by adopting the “Problem Solving Approach’’ students tended to be innovative, skilful and knowledgeable problem solvers in the society.

He said students must move away from the rote learning ‘chew, pour, pass and forget’ syndrome to the application of scientific and mathematical principles to solve societal challenges.

Mr Haffar said rote learning is the bane of innovative, critical thinking and the application of scientific and technological principles to solve problems.

He called for an educational restructure where students would be oriented to contribute to national development by solving societal problems and create a jobs for themselves.

Mr Kweku Awotwi, the Chairman of Stanbic Bank- Ghana, said the country need a strong government to help improve industries to create wealth with the needed experience and exposure.

Professor Bernard Kofi Baiden, Dean of KNUST School of Business, called for the need to have a national policy and a framework on funding.

He said “we lack concentration on Agriculture industry. Agriculture is the bedrock of our economy. If we don’t support the Agric sector, we will always import. We have what it takes, but we are not financing that sector.”

–

Source: GNA

The post Teachers must adopt interactive methods – Anis Haffar appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.