By Agnes M. Tarr
The Executive Director of the Liberia Translation and Literacy Organization (LIBTRALO), Mr. David K. Setiyee, is urging the Liberian Government to enact into law a policy that will provide room for the inclusion of local Liberian languages in the national curriculum for public and private schools in the country.
Mr. Setiyee said LIBTRALO is a group of Liberians involved in translating the Bible and other chosen books into local Liberian languages for understanding especially those who cannot read, write or understand the English language as well as other Liberian vernaculars.
The LIBTRALO boss in an interview with reporters at his office in Sinkor said it is unfortunate and disheartening to see Liberians not attracted to speaking their own local languages as it is done in other African countries.
He expressed the thought and assure that when the government enacts into law policy compelling the Education Ministry to include into school curriculum the teaching of Liberian languages in all it will serve as encouragement and motivation to all Liberians to accept and devote time to learning their own local languages.
“We feel that every Liberian should learn how to speak a language of their mother tongue as means of knowing or understanding our own culture.” the LIBTRALO boss indicated.
He used the occasion to appeal to the Liberian Government and all good-will ambassadors to assist the institution with financial support to construct its own headquarters.
The LIBTRALO boss explained that his organization has acquired two acres of land in Whein Town, a community in the suburb of Monrovia it identified to erect its proposed headquarters.
