IMPLEMENTATION OF GHANA’S LANGUAGE IN EDUCATION POLICY IN PUBLIC KINDERGARTENS: THE PERSPECTIVES OF SOME PARENTS IN THE SAGNARIGU MUNICIPALITY, GHANA

Abdallah Soma, Lydia Apio

Abstract


This study adopts a qualitative approach to explore parents’ perceptions of the current Ghanaian language in education policy and their preference for a language of instruction in KG. A suitable sample size of 96 parents for the exploratory research was obtained through a multistage sampling technique. Participants were interviewed. The data from the semi-structured interviews were analysed using thematic coding. The study found that parents do not deny the importance of Ghanaian languages in education. Still, they fear that its use as the main language of instruction may lead to poor development of literacy skills in English, the official language in Ghana. This shows a mismatch between parents’ perceptions and preferences for a language of instruction and the rationale of the current Ghanaian language in education policy. The study recommended that curriculum planners and policymakers should consider re-introducing the English language as the main language of instruction in KG, supported by Ghanaian languages, and re-focus the KG curriculum on the development of foundational English literacy skills as per the rationale of the 2007 educational reforms.

 

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language in education, Ghanaian language policy, kindergarten education

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References


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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejfl.v9i4.6429

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