Navro-Pio secretary calls for enforcement of education policy to safeguard Kasem
Kondayire urges strict enforcement of Kasem language policy in schools, warning that weak implementation and declining usage threaten its survival.
Felix Kondayire, Secretary to the Navro-Pio, Pe Denis Aniakwo Balinia Adda Asagipaare II has called for urgent enforcement of Kasem education policy, warning that failure to properly implement it is contributing to the steady decline of the language.
Kondayire made the call on the sideline of the Kacstone Record’s Local Language Promotion Forum in Navrongo on April 24.
According to him, while Kasem remains the predominant indigenous language among the Kassena-Nankana, its use particularly in formal education is weakening due to lack of deliberate enforcement of existing policies.
“What we are saying is not that the language does not exist, but that we are not doing what we are supposed to do to sustain it.” He explained.
Kondayire noted that many schools in the area continue to rely heavily on English, even at early stages where children are expected to be grounded in their mother tongue. He attributed this to a combination of weak enforcement, lack of teaching materials, and limited coordination with education authorities.
“There is already a policy, but we are not adhering to it. We need to liaise with the Ministry of Education to ensure that the necessary materials are available so that schools can properly implement it.” He said.
He described current efforts to promote the Kasem language as long overdue lamenting that stakeholders waited until the situation had significantly deteriorated before taking action.
“This should have happened long ago. We are late, but not too late,” he added, expressing hope that the renewed attention will mark a turning point.
Beyond institutions, he highlighted the role of parents as central to language preservation, noting that many have failed to consistently pass on the language and cultural values to their children.
“Parents are a major contributor to the decline, but they are also key to the solution.” He said.
The two-day programme, organised by Kacstone records from April 23 to April 24, forms part of efforts to promote and preserve indigenous languages, particularly Kasem that brought hundreds of participants from Ghana and Burkina Faso.
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