Kacstone Record, a cultural and music development label, has donated 260 Kassem authored books to support the teaching and learning of the Kassem language in basic schools within the Kassena-Nankana Municipality and the Kassena Nankana West District.
The gesture, which forms part of the label’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), aims to preserve indigenous culture and strengthen literacy in local languages among young learners.
The book titled, “Kasena Nabaara Kikia,” authored by Joseph Aloa Nabraarese, focuses on Kasena customs and institutions, including marriage, folklore, family life, funeral rites, and the chieftaincy system.
Of the 260 copies donated, the Kassena-Nankana Municipal Education Directorate received 148 copies, while the Kassena Nankana West District received 112 copies.
At separate presentations, Michael Adangba, the label’s sole recording artist, expressed concern about the gradual erosion of authenticity in local languages due to the adoption of foreign slang.
“When you listen to some of our people, the tonation of the language is changing. Some people are trying to modernise it, but it should not be that way,” he said, stressing that teaching in local languages at the basic level enhances comprehension and learning outcomes.
Mr Wenawome Duriyem Aborah, Managing Director of Kacstone Records, called on African communities to invest in promoting their indigenous languages to avert their extinction.
“We are calling on people interested in promoting our cultural heritage to invest in some of these things to help prevent our identity from being lost,” he stated.
He added that, “Our identity has been taken away, and we have to come back to the basics, such as presenting the young ones with learning materials.”
Mr Joseph Aloa Nabraarese, Author of the book of the book, said the intervention would revive the study of Kassem in schools, noting that interest and performance in the language had declined due to inadequate teaching materials.
“The teaching of our mother tongue is dying out. Learners are not doing well, and teachers are complaining of not being resourced. Because of that, the teaching of Kassem is not going well,” he said.
He added that his motivation for writing the book stemmed from a desire to reconnect young people with their history and cultural roots.
Receiving the books, Mr Thomas Kanlisi, the Kassena-Nankana Municipal Education Director, described the support as timely.
He said the donation complemented the government’s directive requiring basic schools to teach Ghanaian languages from lower primary levels.
“This book will support the teaching and learning of Kassem in our schools. Kassem is an examinable subject at the BECE and SHS levels. The book will assist us in getting our children to develop interest in the language,” he said.
In the Kassena Nankana West District, Ms Mary Magdalene Wompakeah, the District Education Director, assured that the books would be put to effective use.
She noted that teachers previously had no textbooks and relied solely on knowledge acquired during training, and said the donation was therefore crucial to advancing the study of the local language.
Meanwhile, Kacstone Records announced that it will host a free cultural musical festival, the Adangba Legacy Music Fest, on December 21, 2025, in Paga.
The event aims to showcase authentic African music and unite communities in celebration of their cultural heritage.
GNA
