Indigenous languages mustn’t be allowed to die

It is deeply disheartening that in a country so culturally endowed, dozens of our indigenous tongues are fading into silence.

Indeed, the alarm raised by the Executive Director of the Ghana Library Authority (GhLA), Ziblim Alhassan Betintiche, that at least 40 Ghanaian languages are on the verge of extinction should be a worry to everyone (See page 13 of yesterday’s edition).

When a language dies it is a worldview, a system of knowledge, a people’s memory and identity that are erased.

Indigenous languages are living vessels of history, philosophy, science, governance and spirituality.

Through language, values are transmitted, conflicts resolved, traditions preserved and innovation contextualised.

Language and  educational experts and literature tell us that a child who learns in his or her mother tongue gains cognitive advantages, deeper conceptual understanding and stronger self-esteem.

Language grounds development in identity, and a nation that neglects its indigenous languages risks alienating its people from their roots and weakening social cohesion.

Globally, countries that have deliberately developed their indigenous languages have reaped immense benefits. Israel revived Hebrew from a largely liturgical language into a vibrant national medium of instruction, science and technology, strengthening national unity and cultural pride.

Tanzania elevated Kiswahili as a national language, fostering cohesion across ethnic lines and making governance and education more inclusive.

South Korea developed Hangul into a powerful tool for literacy, innovation and global cultural export.

These examples demonstrate that nurturing indigenous languages does not hinder progress; rather, it anchors development in authenticity and shared identity.

In Ghana, however, an unhealthy obsession with English persists. Some parents proudly proclaim that their children cannot speak any Ghanaian language, as though linguistic alienation were a badge of honour.

In many homes, English is enforced rigidly, even when parents themselves are more fluent in their mother tongues.

This trend is not only misguided but dangerous.

A child deprived of his or her mother tongue is deprived of emotional depth, cultural grounding and intergenerational connection.

The Daily Graphic  therefore, considers it commendable that the government, through the Ministry of Education, has made it compulsory for the mother tongue (L1) to be used as the primary medium of instruction from Kindergarten to Primary Three.

This policy, implemented in collaboration with the Ghana Education Service and the Bureau of Ghana Languages, aligns with global research that children learn best in a familiar language during their formative years.

Yet policy alone is insufficient without societal support. Ironically, many parents who spend substantial sums on extra tuition in mathematics, science and English neglect Ghanaian languages entirely.

Although Ghanaian language is a core subject at the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), it often receives minimal attention at home and in private tuition arrangements.

This neglect sends a damaging message to children that their own language is inferior or unworthy of serious study.

Worse still, students who choose to study Ghanaian languages at higher levels are sometimes mocked and given derisive labels.

Such attitudes are short-sighted. Many prominent figures in academia, politics, media and literature studied Ghanaian languages and built distinguished careers rooted in cultural literacy and communication expertise.

Proficiency in indigenous languages opens doors in education, broadcasting, research, translation, cultural tourism and diplomacy.

We must encourage our students to see the study of Ghanaian languages not as a fallback option but as a pathway to relevance and leadership.

The situation becomes even more alarming when one observes that foreigners and Ghanaians born abroad are increasingly eager to learn our languages, recognising their cultural and academic value.

Meanwhile, in many Ghanaian communities, it is becoming difficult to find teachers well versed in local languages to instruct children.

This is a direct consequence of decades of neglect.

Urgent, deliberate and targeted action is therefore required.

Teacher training institutions must prioritise the preparation of competent Ghanaian language teachers.

Scholarships and incentives should be introduced to attract talented students into language education.

The Ghana Library Authority must continue expanding indigenous language materials, while the Ghana Education Service ensures effective implementation of language policy in schools.

The Ministry of Education must provide sustained funding, monitoring and curriculum support to guarantee quality instruction.

But beyond institutions, the responsibility rests with every Ghanaian.

Speak your language at home. Tell stories. Read books written in it. Celebrate it.

Let us rekindle pride in our mother tongues and reject the false notion that modernisation requires homogenisation.

We are of the strongest opinion that preserving our languages is a strategic investment in identity, unity and sustainable national development