Government has approved the implementation of a new language policy that would allow the use of English language to replace vernacular as a medium of instruction during the first three years of primary school, Professor Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi, Minister for Education said on Wednesday.

Speaking at the annual general meeting of the Ghana Book Publishers' Association (GBPA) in Accra, Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi noted that the policy had come as result of difficult problems such as lack of resources, inadequate relevant textbooks in Ghanaian languages and insufficient teachers with Ghanaian language proficiency to implement the former policy.

The former language policy made use of vernacular as a medium of instruction for the first three years in primary schools.

He said instruction at all levels would be in English, however, pupils in all basic schools would be required to offer a Ghanaian language as a subject, which would be taken up to the senior secondary school level.

Prof Ameyaw-Akumfi explained that in situations where a pupil was transferred from a class beyond primary six to an urban centre where there was a problem of multiplicity of Ghanaian languages, that pupil would

continue to study the Ghanaian language studied previously.

The Minister said as part of the ministry's objective on the printing and production of textbooks, 60 per cent of all primary and junior secondary school textbooks funded by the Ministry of Education (MOE) including those of donors, should be printed in Ghana by the year 2005.

Prof Ameyaw-Akumfi, however, said the achievement of manufacturing target would depend on the availability of satisfactory local printing houses that could produce textbooks that would meet standard prices as compared to

international prices and in conformity with MOEs delivery deadline.

In addition, the Ghana Book Development Council (GBDC) would liase with Ghanaian printers and other government ministries to develop a comprehensive strategy and a conducive environment in support of the development of local textbooks manufacturing capacity, the Minister said.

"The GBDC would also co-ordinate an initial survey of local book printers to determine the local capacity required to meet specified production targets and price competitiveness, adding this would be repeated on regular basis as a means of monitoring the development of local printing and production capacity" he said.

Mr Courage Kwami Segbewu, President of GBPA, announced that an anti piracy committee had been set up to embark on a national campaign to help flush out pirates in the book industry.

Mrs Awurabena Ahwoi, Head of Girls Education Unit of MOE, who chaired the function, urged publishers to be time conscious in order to meet time frame set up for contracts.