You’re never too old to learn: Minister Mbumba

MINISTER of Education Nangolo Mbumba is inviting illiterate adult Namibians to enrol for adult literacy programmes in order to improve their lives.

The minister was speaking at the launch the 10th National Adult Learners’ Week held at the Namcol head office on Monday.’Literacy enables you to be able to express yourself better. Literacy skills are fundamental to informed decision-making, personal empowerment and active participation in matters of society,’ he said.In keeping with the theme for this year, ‘Literacy for Community Participation in Poverty Reduction’, Mbumba said to be illiterate is to be deprived of your rights.’You will survive better if you can read. It is a basic human right. You can become employable for a better position if you are literate,’ he added.Two adult learners described the steady progress they have made with the help of adult literacy courses over the years. Former domestic worker Emeldah Lilato (31) said she realised that she had to learn how to read and write in order to be able to get a better job. ‘Three years ago I was just sitting at home doing nothing. I registered at CABIN (Capacity Building Initiatives). I could not even write my own name. I learned how to write my name and speak English. I’m not going to stop now. Next year I will do my grade 10 and then I will go to university. I will do it,’ she said.Sergeant Martha Emvula of the Namibian Police, who enrolled at Namcol, said she joined the adult literacy programme so that she could do her job properly.’I went for literacy so that I can speak better English. Even now you can see I can speak English. Now I can give a better service.’Minister Mbumba added that it is necessary to take stock of the literacy rates in our own country. ‘The National Literacy Programme (NLP) in Namibia, which addresses the issue of illiteracy in the age group of 15 years and above, is making considerable progress. I remain highly optimistic that with extra effort and dedication by all stakeholders in education and the continued support from our Government we will achieve all EFA (Education For All) goals by 2015,’ the Minister said.EFA has key objectives that are covered by the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The NLP enrols about 30 000 to 40 000 adult learners annually, of which 70 per cent are women.