2417 adults graduate from literacy programme
Mangochi district commissioner (DC) Raphael Piringu has expressed excitement with 2 417 people who have graduated from adult literacy education centres in the district.
The 972 women and 445 men underwent basic training in writing, reading and counting skills in 439 adult literacy classes run in the district’s 22 traditional authorities.
Speaking on Friday during the award of certificates in Sub-Traditional Authority Chiwalo, the DC said it was good that the adults learned how to read and write.
“However, it is worrisome that the number of men is lower than that of women.
“We will mobilise the adults into cooperatives and village savings and loans groups so that they can start small-scale businesses.”
Mangochi district community development officer Dalitso Mndinda said despite the successes, the programme is facing a number of challenges, including shortage of community development assistants who are key to the adult literacy programme.
He said: “In addition, learning structures are poor, which contributes to low enrolment in adult literacy programme.
“We started with 3 456 learners, but due to poor learning structures and other challenges, 2 417 completed their 10-month studies.”
Mndinda attributed the success to collaboration among partners such as Mangochi District Council and non-governmental organisations such as Emmanuel International, Malawi Red Cross Society and Youth Development and Productivity.
One of the graduates, Tapiwa Jali from Mvunguti Village in the area said she enrolled in the programme to learn how to read and write to advance her small-scale business.
In 2020, Parliament approved the National Adult Literacy and Education Policy which seeks to facilitate reduction of the number of illiterate adults by 300 000 annually by the end of five years.
