RSUBEB Moves To Reinvent Indigenous Languages In Schools

Worried by what would happen to the local languages in the state in the next two decades, the management of the Rivers State Universal Basic Education Board (RSUBEB), Port Harcourt, has inaugurated a partnership committee to begin re-inventing and teaching of indigenouslanguages across the schools in the basic education sector with a view to saving it from extinction.
The move is in line with the RSUBEB’s drive towardsachieving its positive school change and inclusiveness initiative policy among the public primary and basic secondary schools across the state.
Speaking while inaugurating members of Indigenous Language Teachers’ Team and the Dyslexia Orientation Project at a brief ceremony at the chairman’s conference room in Port Harcourt, last week Thursday, Executive Chairman, RSUBEB, Dr FynefaceAkah, said the board had created the enabling environment for the partnership to succeed, adding that the board has had interactive discussion before arriving at the decision.
“We have created a good environment and space that will drive positive school change to recovering and re-inventing what was lost in the past. We need to play inclusiveness and remake our culture and pursue the trend of teaching that will expose the learners to understanding the environment than we need to teach our indigenous languages.”
According to him, the board was concerned about what would happen to the indigenous languages in the nearest future, if necessary action was not taken to save the languagesfrom extinction, adding that the board provided a proper platform to the group to use their classrooms for the recovery of the languages.
He commended the groups for the bold steps taken, and urged them to use the platform provided by the board by showcasing their knowledge,expertise.
Akah particularly asked the Dyslexia Orientation Project to ensure that they identify with the disorderly groups to ensure that inclusivity in the education development was achieved as enshrined in the national education act, even as he assured them that the board would ensure that the aim of the partnership was achieved.
Earlier in his opening speech, Director of Administration, Supplies, and Head of Public Relations, Mr Karibi George, said the essence of the inauguration was to pursue the board’s quest to achieve inclusiveness among students and pupils with various health challenges as well as restore the teaching of indigenous languages that would improve their literacy and learning skills across basic schools in the state.
In their various responses, the Rivers State Indigenous Teachers’ Team led by Dr. Ovuchi Justice Agwnu, and the Dyslexia Orientation Project led by Mr Patrick Anyiam, assured that they would put in their best to ensure that the essence of the programme was achieved, even as they commended Akah for the opportunity accorded them in the historic and laudable project.

By: Amadi Akujobi