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

Penulis

  • Abdallah Soma Department of Basic Education Studies, Faculty of Education, University for Development Studies, P.O. Box TL 1350, Tamale, Ghana
  • Lydia Apio Dr., Languages Department, Tumu College of Education, P.O. Box 19, Upper West Region, Ghana

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46827/ejfl.v9i4.6429

Kata Kunci:

language in education, Ghanaian language policy, kindergarten education

Abstrak

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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Biografi Penulis

  • Abdallah Soma, Department of Basic Education Studies, Faculty of Education, University for Development Studies, P.O. Box TL 1350, Tamale, Ghana

    Abdallah Soma is a Senior Research Assistant at the University for Development Studies (UDS), Faculty of Education. He holds a Bachelor of Education and Master of Philosophy (MPhil) in Early Childhood Care and Education from UDS. He is specialising in Language and Literacy Instruction.

  • Lydia Apio, Dr., Languages Department, Tumu College of Education, P.O. Box 19, Upper West Region, Ghana

    Dr. Lydia Apio holds a PhD in Literature from the University of Cape Coast, a Master of Philosophy in English, and a Bachelor of Education in English from the University of Education, Winneba. She is currently working as a lecturer in the Languages Department of Tumu College of Education. Her research interests include the Transatlantic Slave Trade, Women and Trauma, African Literature and Gender Studies.

Referensi

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Unduhan

Diterbitkan

2025-12-13

Terbitan

Vol 9 No 4 (2025)

Bagian

Articles

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