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Disinterest blights adult education at Kamanjab

2017-04-19  Staff Report 2

Disinterest blights adult education at Kamanjab
Clemans Miyanicwe Kamanjab The adult education supervisor of Kamanjab Education District, Petrina Isacks, says there is a lack of interest in education by Khoe-khoegowab communities in the district. Adult education is a programme run by the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture. According to Isacks, more Ovahimba, Oshiwambo and Otjiherero-speaking adults attend classes than Khoe-khoegowab speaking adults who have shown a disinterest to learn in a class environment. “Khoe-khoegowab speaking communities have lower attendance rates than adults from other language groups,” said Isacks, who has been supervisor for adult education for the past 22 years. She expressed her disappointment during an interview with New Era on Sunday. Adult education classes took place at farms such as Ruistig, Bruno, Engelbrecht, Gaowas (Ovahimba village) and settlements such as Erwee and Anker as well as Kamanjab. Isacks said Kamanjab, Anker and Erwee are the worst in terms of people showing little interest. According to her investigations adults are reluctant to attend classes as they do not get paid to do so. “It’s not about being paid, it’s about the education one gains, so people must not be discouraged to attend classes,” Isacks advised. Adult education facilitators get more than N$2 500 per month but Isacks said the majority of adult education facilitators are in it for money rather than passion. Isacks said when she arrived in Kamanjab in 1993 from /Uis where she was a businesswoman, locals in Kamanjab Education District showed little interest to learn formally and children even left school from Grade 8. “We are moving towards Vision 2030 and need an educated nation.” People who attended classed from 1993 until 1999 showed an interest in learning and can now sign documents and read the Bible, she added. The Family Literacy Programme that also falls under the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture and which runs from January to April only resumed for Khoe-khoegowab speaking communities at the end of February at Kamanjab. “Government cares about us so let’s not only get government social grants for children and pension grants but let us partake in government education initiatives,” she said. Isacks herself only learnt how to use a computer in 2013 and says one is never too old to gain skills.
2017-04-19  Staff Report 2

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