Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, Min of Education
News Desk
The Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, says his ministry has not approved any textbook meant for students of Basic Four for the teaching of Oral Language, Reading, Writing and Grammar.
He has therefore described as “untrue” reports in circulation to the effect that the Ghana Education Service (GES) has given the green light for an anti-Ewe book to be used in basic schools across the country, and urged the public to disregard the publication.
“The book is not approved,” Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum said in a media interview.
One Okyere Baafi Alexander has authored an English language textbook that allegedly portrays people of Ewe extraction as ‘juju-loving’.
The book, with the inscription “Golden English”, is said to be “based on the new NaCCA (National Council for Curriculum & Assessment) syllabus”.
NaCCA
Meanwhile, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment has also cleared the air, explaining that some textbooks on the market have not been approved for use.
According to former Citi FM broadcaster Richard Dela Sky, the book characterises Ewes and must be withdrawn.
“My attention has been drawn to some contents of this book (“Golden English”). Now, IF this book for educating our pupils really contains the characterisation captured in the picture to the right, and IF it is indeed a part of the ‘official’ books used in teaching our children as some have suggested, then the Ghana Education Service must withdraw it effective immediately. The reason, I think, is obvious. Put differently, the outrage speaks for itself,” he wrote on Facebook.
Also commenting on the book, popular broadcaster Dzifa Bampoe wrote: “When Richard Dela Sky shared this, I thought it was just an ‘ignorant’ mistake but there are two other negative references to the Ewe people. Then the barefaced lies written about Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah and the CPP and I am like we have to call this out. I had to have long conversations with my daughter about Osagyefo. This is not right at all”.
Not true
But in a statement, NaCCA said those textbooks currently making waves in the media have not been approved for use in schools
“In each of these books and others discovered on social media, the authors make inappropriate references to personalities and ethnic groups which are deemed unfortunate, distasteful, and are in contradiction with NaCCA’s Book Submission Guidelines and Approval Methodology which guide the work of publishers and authors,” the statement said.
