Economic situation is reason for illiteracy - AEA official

Economic situation is reason for illiteracy – AEA official

Apr 12, 2009 News

Executive Director of the Adult Education Association of Guyana (AEA), Patricia Davis, is of the view that the economic situation is one of the key reasons for illiteracy in Guyana.

Her observation was made known at the Education Ministry-sponsored public consultation on the National Literacy Initiatives in Guyana.

She added that while social problems also add to the situation, literacy facilitators need to acknowledge the fact that poverty is one of the key reasons for the problem.

Davis explained that although many adults join the AEA programme, not many of them stay to the end of the course. According to the Executive Director, there are some adults who are willing to learn, but their employers refuse to give them time off from their jobs.

Davis urge for different methods to be adopted and implemented by the literacy educators as a means to attract the interest of out of school youths and adults.

“If we are dealing with out of school youths and adults then at the end of the day, we should be able to make a dramatic impact on their self esteem, empower them to unlock the economic, social and political resources,” Davis noted.

She added that during the course of the programme, civic education should be included to keep the adults in the programme, and have them learn about their country.

“When an adult is illiterate, he behaves even lesser than a child. Facilitators need to know and understand how to treat adults in the class…they are thin-skinned… so from the time they come to you; you have to have a friendly face,” Davis explained.

She said that adults and out of school youths do not need to learn their ABCs since this will only embarrass them more and break their self esteem. She encouraged educators to apply their individual experiences in order to teach the adults and out of school youths.

“Find out what the people need… don’t go to them with ABC… They are not interested in that. That comes incidentally. You can’t go to them with that. You would just turn them off. Encourage them in conversations for the first two days and then make your move,” the Executive Director noted.

She said that 36 youths in Bartica who participated in the first phase of the programme are currently on a work-study programme.

Minister of Education, Shaik Baksh, said that close to 40 secondary schools across the country now have to be running a six-year programme, instead of five, mainly due to illiteracy in the country.

He added that the curriculum has to be designed to include civic responsibility, self esteem skills, interpersonal skills and negotiation skills.

“These are very important and it has to be a core part of the curriculum in order to have a well rounded individual,” Minister Baksh said.

The fast track initiative literacy programme is a response to the results from the National Grade Six examinations, which appear to fall below public expectations.

Last year, a task force was established to examine the situation and to submit recommendations for a response to the problem. Several NGOs were engaged during this process, which invited applications from organisations and individuals to become involved in eradicating illiteracy.

The initiative was born out of a global concern for the level of illiteracy, which has caused persons to lack the skill, knowledge and confidence to participate meaningfully in society and escape the generational cycle of poverty. (Fareeza Haniff).

Latest News

Economic situation is reason for illiteracy – AEA official

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | January, 27th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

KARCC hails 2025 Guyana-Suriname Group Ride a massive success

Cricket West Indies Launches Bold New Scouting...

Berbice Educational High CSEC Physical Education...

GSL 2025 to take place in July

Ken Harvey dominates GBA’s Pepsi/Michael...

Goal is Money survive scare on Opening Night of...

Features/Columnists

The burden of proof rests on the asserting party

OAS Secretary General Election and renewed OAS Consensus

Straight talk

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]

Economic situation is reason for illiteracy – AEA official

Share this:

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | January, 27th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]