Éditions Ganndal recently presented "Esprit du fleuve", a bilingual book written in French and translated into Sosso, Pular, Maninka, and Wolof, at the 10th edition of the Conakry International Youth Book Fair. The book focuses on the Niger River, which originates in Guinea and flows through several countries in the region. The event brought together various stakeholders, including the Wazni Foundation, the French Development Agency, the French Embassy, and the Ministry of National Education.
The presentation of "Esprit du fleuve" aims to promote national languages and bilingualism in education. Alpha Camara, representing the Minister of National Education, praised the book as a valuable resource for bilingual education in Guinean schools. He emphasized that learning in one's mother tongue does not hinder the acquisition of French and that introducing national languages in schools is an excellent initiative.
Pépé Guilavogui, Editorial Director at Éditions Ganndal, explained that the book was initially written in French and later translated into various regional languages to make it accessible to different linguistic communities. This effort seeks to preserve cultural heritage and promote national languages. Guilavogui stressed that language preservation is crucial, as the loss of a language also means the loss of a part of human culture and heritage.
Kabinet Touré, a bilingual national language teacher, discussed the implementation of bilingual education in Kindia, where Sosso and French are introduced progressively according to school levels. He praised "Esprit du fleuve" as a valuable resource that can be used not only for language learning but also in various subjects like science, geography, and history.
The book "Esprit du fleuve" offers a unique approach to education by providing children with reading materials in their mother tongue and French. This approach aims to facilitate language learning and improve educational outcomes. The stakeholders present at the event emphasized the importance of promoting national languages and bilingualism in education.
The Ministry of National Education and other stakeholders have shown support for initiatives like "Esprit du fleuve", which contribute to the development of bilingual education in Guinea. The book is seen as a complementary resource that can enrich the didactic materials used in bilingual education.
Overall, "Esprit du fleuve" represents a significant effort to promote national languages and bilingualism in education in Guinea. By providing children with access to reading materials in their mother tongue and French, the book aims to improve educational outcomes and preserve cultural heritage.
Key points
- Éditions Ganndal presents "Esprit du fleuve", a bilingual book in five languages, to promote national languages in education.
- The book aims to facilitate language learning and improve educational outcomes by providing children with reading materials in their mother tongue and French.
- The initiative seeks to preserve cultural heritage and promote bilingualism in education in Guinea.
