Efforts to educate Nigerian kids in their mothers-tongue received a great boost recently as three sets of primary school text books written in Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo Languages and financed by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID, were delivered to State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB)
The text books which were developed by Language experts in Yoruba, Igbo and Hausa Languages with support of local professionals from State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), were produced for pupils in primary one, two and three classes.
Speaking during the delivery of 10,000 copies of the Yoruba version of the textbooks tagged: ‘Je Ka kawe’ (let’s read) to the Executive Chairman of Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Dr. Nureni Adeniran, by the Chief of Party of USAID Northern Education Initiative Plus, Mr. Nurudeen Lawal, Adeniran commended the USAID for producing the books which will facilitate delivery of quality education for pupils in primary one to three classes. Adeniran said the gesture would help primary school pupils to read and write fluently.
According to the Oyo State SUBEB boss, Je Ka kawe’ contained stories and pictures that promoted positive social values and would be distributed to pupils in the 2,450 public schools in oyo state state.
In his speech, Mr. Lawal, the USAID official, said the agency’s aim was to ensure children in African nations could read and write unhindered.
According to Lawal, the importance of mother-tongue cannot be overemphasized, hence the mass production of “Je ka kawe”, which will boost the literacy level of children across the South West Nigeria.
He added that the development of ‘Je ka kawe’ was premised on the language provisions in the National Policy on Education, that the mother-tongue of the immediate community should be the medium of instruction at the lower level of education.
The Chief of Party said the initiative was to reach 1.6 million children in lower grades and more than 500,000 out-of-school-children and youths in community learning centres.
He said the programme would also train, equip teachers and facilitators in schools and non-formal learning centres.
The Hausa versions of the book tagged: ‘Mu Karanta’ had been launched in
Northern part of Nigeria just as the Igbo version of the textbooks christened
Ka Anyi Guo’ has also been delivered to the relevant authorities in the south eastern part of Nigeria.
