HEBA, KILBA LANGUAGE WILL SOON BE TAUGHT IN SCHOOLS-NERDC

Teaching and learning in Heba (Kilba) language will soon commence in schools in Hong Local Government Area, Adamawa state.

The National Education Research and Development Council (NERDC), Abuja, stated this on Monday, at the opening ceremony of "Critique and Editorial" for the development of Heba language curriculum held in Yola, Adamawa State.

The Acting Executive Secretary of the Council, Dr Margret Lawani, assured that the language will soon be taught as subject in schools, and pledged the council's support to Heba community to that effect.

Dr Margret Lawani, who was represented by Dr. Chima Egbujuo, said that after the workshop, the council will present to Nigerians for them to know what Heba people have done, then to larger technical meeting before presentation to the National Council on Education for final approval.

“You as a community have taken up the responsibility to ensure that your language didn’t go into extinction.

“One thing you can be assured of is that nothing will stop it from being approved. This is because it is coming from an agency of government that has the responsibility to develop curriculum for all levels of education in Nigeria. Apart from that, it is also our responsibility to ensure language development in the country, ” she said.

Lawani, commended the Heba community for taking the step in preserving the language from extinction, saying that there will be joy in Heba land when children started learning the language and the culture.

Earlier, the Chairman Heba Language Development Association, Alhaji Abba Sale thanked all those who supported the mission to obtain approval for the teaching of mother tongue in schools have become reality.

He then paid tribute to the late Prof. Isma’il Junaidu, former Executive Secretary of the Council for his support to the project since it was conceived.  

“The workshop is preparatory to the final stage in the process of obtaining approval for insertion of Heba language into educational curriculum in the country,” he said.

There were goodwill messages from Professor Mohammed Kabiru Badau, Professor Hensley Kallamu both from Modibbo Adama University, Yola, and Julius Kadala, former Commissioner Ministries of Water Resources and Education respectively.

In his closing remark, the Patron of the Association, Joshua Theman Abu expressed delight with the level of commitment by leadership of the association.

After the opening ceremony, participants went into technical session which lasted for four days.

Highpoint of the event was observance of minute silence in honour of late former Executive Secretary of the National Education Research and Development Council, Prof. Isma’il Junaidu.