Kuni Tyessi in Abuja
The Federal Government has formally inaugurated the National Technical Committee for the development of Language Policy for Nigeria to preserve Nigerian indigenous languages.
The Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, who was speaking on the occasion in Abuja, recently, said that the National Language Policy was to enable government create conducive atmosphere for the preservation of indigenous languages, and to determine how language skills are developed and deployed to achieve national goals.
He stressed that National Language Policy cannot be taken for granted, because it would produce a workable document that would promote, and enable the Nigerian child grow up with multi-lingual skills.
He said, “A well articulated language policy will enhance the international status of Nigeria, as Hausa is spoken in all the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) even in Central Africa and Cameroon, while Yoruba is spoken in Benin Republic and the Diaspora. Arabic is the official language of most North African countries and the Middle East.â€
The Minister commended members of the committee and expressed the Ministry’s gratitude for accepting to partner, explaining that their nomination was based on their wealth of experience in linguistic and educational matters.
Speaking earlier, the representative of the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education, Director ICT, Dr. Ifegwu Oji said the importance of language policy for Nigeria cannot be over-emphasised, explaining that the policy would not only encourage linguistic diversity and multilingual education, but would also create better awareness of linguistic and cultural traditions.
He noted that it would also assist in regulating and enabling the effective utilisation of languages for the achievement of national goals.
