Some concerned literature teachers in Ghana have expressed worry over the stunted growth affecting their field of expertise.
This, they say is happening because of the absence of one umbrella to help streamline their activities.
It is in light of this challenge among others that they have announced the birth of an association called the Literature Association of Ghana.
The Association was launched during the three-day commemorative conference at the University of Cape Coast (UCC) to honour three Distinguished Scholars who are from the English Department of the University.
According to Dr. Samuel Nkansah who is a Senior Lecturer in the English Department, Ghana as a nation has lost touch with the essence of literature.
“Though in our schools we study literature, but we don’t see its growth,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of the Association he said “As concerned teachers, lecturers, tutors, researchers, writers, philosophers of literature, we are announcing the birth of an association… And this association will rally all scholars, writers, researchers of literature, English and other languages such as French so that we meet to discuss literature.”
Dr. Nkansah explained it is the hope of the association that conferences and public proceedings about literature will be held to aid its success in the country.
One of the major focuses of the Literature Association of Ghana Dr. Nkansah notes is the streamlining of the literature subject in the West African Examination Council (WAEC).
According to him, “the WAEC marking scheme and WAEC selection of reading books for literature are not well coordinated. So, we need to look at those things for people to coordinate them well just as it is done for Science, Maths, and the rest. There are common books that these subjects have. That’s not the case for literature. So, we need to streamline it.”
He, therefore, said within the association, they will train themselves on “how to teach literature at the SHS level, at the basic school level, at the College of Education level, and at the university level.
Meanwhile, he said members of the association will comprise all literature lecturers from the university level to training colleges as well as to the Senior High Schools.
“So, anyone who is literature oriented is part of it, either as a critic, as a writer, as a composer we are all in it,” he said.
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Source: Rosemond Asmah/ATLFMNEWS
