The Ghana National Association of Authors and Publishers has rendered an unqualified apology to the general public especially parents and National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA) over the publication of a history textbook for basic schools, which is seen as teaching anti-Christian contents to the pupils.
The association intends to appoint a committee scrutinise contents of all textbooks to avoid publishing topics that could cause problems for pupils to protect the image and book development in Ghana.
Mr John Akwasi Amponsah, National President of the association, at a press conference stated that the members cannot sit unconcerned, but would not judge who is wrong or right.
The book, History of Ghana for Basic Schools, Learner’s Book 4, is reported to have listed disadvantages of Christianity, which the Deputy Education Minister, Ntim Fordjour, has condemned and described as obnoxious.
The book, authored by one Francis Benjamin Appiah and Henry David Appiah of Excellent Publication and Stationery Ltd has sparked controversy on social media, after the writers claimed religion is a major cause of conflict globally.
The authors stated, among others,the disadvantages of religion, that Christianity has led to increase in poverty in the country.
The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA) in response to the book said the version sighted was not what they approved.
Meanwhile, the President of Ghana National Association of Authors and Publishers stressed that they have accepted all concerns raised by the public and promised to work on it accordingly.
He insisted that, the Association accepts the criticisms in good faith and rendered unqualified apology to the Ministry of Education, NaCCA, the Christian Council, Nananom and any Ghanaian who finds the statements in the book as obnoxious.
He disclosed that, for many years, Ghanaians have had confidence in textbook developers and have found their works useful and for that matter, pleaded with Ghanaians and all stakeholders to continue to have the confidence in their products and services.
