KEETMANSHOOP – //Kharas Regional Director of Education, /Awebahe //Hoeseb has expressed concerns over the disappointingly low numbers of men registered for the Adult Literacy Programmes, saying more needs to be done to change this pattern.
In a speech delivered on his behalf by Inspector of Education for the Kalahari Circuit, Constance Wantenaar at Noordoewer, during the recently concluded International Literacy Day Celebrations, //Hoeseb noted with concern the low number of men taking part in the adult literacy programmes in the Karasburg District, with the number of women double that of men.
Sharing some statistics on the programme enrolment in that district, he said for the 2018 academic year, a total of 227 people were registered for the Family Literacy, Namibia Literacy, and Adult Upper Primary Education programmes, and only 65 of these are men, which translates to about 28 percent only while 162 or 72 percent are women, and this and the low retention rate remains a huge concern that needs a solution.
“Unfortunately, and disappointingly, apart from the low enrolment figures for the adult males for the Adult Literacy Programmes, learner retention remains a major headache and challenge for us, the education directorate thus decided to combine all sub-divisions of the Information, Adult Education, Lifelong Learning, Arts and Culture division for 2018 Adult Learner’s Week Celebrations, to address this unacceptable anomaly,” he said
//Hoeseb stressed the importance of the programme, saying the programme has centres at Komsberg, Noordoewer, Sonop Farm, Omega and Aussenkehr with a total of 20 promoters who are entrusted to ensure that education reaches not only those adults who are illiterate but also out of school youth, and it therefore important that people register for these programmes.
“Education is seen as the key foundation for building skills required for Namibia’s development and achieving vital social goals, that is why we had various activities that were geared towards raising awareness of the value of adult learning, and to emphasise the need for promoting literacy to enhance skills development,” he stated.