The Deputy Minister of Education, Rashid Bawa on Thursday said the government was prepared to support senior secondary schools in the country to teach the German language.

He said apart from the French language that was very essential for Ghana's Sub-Region, German too was necessary and should be made an elective subject in the secondary schools.

Bawa, who was presenting the keynote address at the first ever four-day Regional Conference of African Teachers of German in Accra, encouraged the universities to introduce German studies as one of the language courses.

The conference was held under the auspices of the International Association of Teachers of German of which the Ghana Association of Teachers of German and many other African Associations of Teachers of German are members.

The seventy participants are from Algeria, Austria, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ghana, Germany, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, Slovakia, South Africa, Togo, Tunisia and Switzerland.

Topics to be discussed included; "Why Learn German In Africa And What Demands Does It Impose On The German Class"; "The Position Of The German Language In The Educational System Of Various Countries"; and "Networking For Teachers Of German As A Foreign Language".

He said all the countries surrounding Ghana and indeed most African countries taught German either in their secondary schools, universities or both. That is not the practice in Ghana, although she is accorded the honour through the award of the prestigious Goethe Medal, which the Director of the Ghana Institute of Languages, Dr Sebastian Bemile, a prominent German scholar received for the promotion of German language and intercultural relations between the two countries.

The Deputy Minister recalled other prominent Ghanaian German scholars, who achieved fame because they were great exponents of the German language. He said German was taught in several secondary schools in this country, even though the space for the language had been reduced since the school reforms of 1987.

He commended the Ghana Institute of Languages, School of Administration of University of Ghana, Legon; Department of Extra-Mural Studies of the University of Cape Coast; St Augustine's College, Mawuli Secondary School; Accra Academy, Opoku Ware Secondary School and the Goethe Institute for their efforts in teaching the German language and encouraged them to expand their programme of activities.

Dr Bemile, who is also the President of the Ghana Association of Teachers of German, said the conference would help those with a negative attitude towards German to rethink their views and help promote the language, especially in secondary schools.

Dr Harald Loeschner, German Ambassador, said Germany would assist Ghana with a 45 million Euros for its two years development programme. He said Ghana was a good choice for the conference because it was a stable country committed to democratic principles and good governance.

He said Germany would ensure that bilateral relations between the two countries was strengthened, since Ghanaians who desired to study in Germany were increasing in numbers. The Swiss Ambassadors, Georg Zubler and the Austrian Ambassador Dr Heide E Keller also addressed the conference.