The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has donated over 10,000 textbooks tagged: ‘Je Ka kawe’ (let’s read) to pupils in Oyo State to enable them read and write in their mother tongue. Dr Nureni Adeniran, Executive Chairman, Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) said this, in a statement, on Friday in Ibadan. […]
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has donated over 10,000 textbooks tagged: ‘Je Ka kawe’ (let’s read) to pupils in Oyo State to enable them read and write in their mother tongue.
Dr Nureni Adeniran, Executive Chairman, Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) said this, in a statement, on Friday in Ibadan.
Adeniran said that the book developed by language experts with the support of local professionals from the board, was written in Yoruba Language for Primary 1, 2 and 3.
He said the books were handed over to the board by Nurudeen Lawal, Chief of Party of USAID Northern Education Initiative Plus.
Similar versions of the book tagged: ‘Mu Karanta’ had been launched in the Northern part of Nigeria and in the south eastern Nigeria, where it is called: ‘Ka Anyi Guo’.
Adeniran said 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 the state.
Adeniran thanked USAID for the books, saying the gesture would boost Governor Seyi Makinde led administration’s vision of ensuring all children could read and write fluently.
Lawal 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 overemphasised, hence the mass production of “Je ka kawe”, which will boost the literacy level of children and youths.
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.
