Dr. Bertha Serwa Ayi Urges Ghanaian Parents to Champion Local Languages Amid National Policy Review

Dr. Bertha Serwa Ayi, a prominent infectious disease specialist and global health advocate, has issued a passionate plea to Ghanaian parents to prioritize the preservation of indigenous languages within the home. Expressing deep concern over a growing trend where English is favored to the exclusion of local dialects, Dr. Ayi warned that raising children as monolingual English speakers "hurts" their cognitive development and cultural identity. Using the metaphor that "language is like a bowl," she argued that native tongues serve as essential vessels for heritage and identity that cannot be adequately replaced by a foreign language alone.

Reflecting on her own upbringing in Lartebiokorshie, Dr. Ayi shared how her early exposure to the Ga language enriched her personal and social development. She contrasted this with the linguistic disconnection she observes in the younger generation, even admitting that her own children face challenges with fluency in their native tongues. This disconnect, she notes, represents a significant cultural loss. Dr. Ayi emphasized that multilingualism does not hinder academic success; instead, it enriches a child’s mind, fosters cognitive flexibility, and provides a deeper connection to their community and ancestral history.

Beyond advocating for change within individual households, Dr. Ayi is actively working to institutionalize linguistic preservation at the state level. She is currently involved in a committee with the Ministry of Education tasked with reviewing Ghana’s national language policy. The goal of this review is to strengthen the teaching of local languages within the formal school system, ensuring they are valued alongside English. By aligning domestic efforts with educational reform, Dr. Ayi aims to reverse the trend of linguistic erosion and ensure that Ghana's diverse cultural fabric remains intact for future generations.