The Non-Formal Education Division NFED in the Upper East Region had a total number of five hundred 500 classes, made up of Batch 7, 300 classes and Batch 21, 200 classes.
This brought a total number of 15,500 learners consisting of Batch 7 males 2,700, females 6,300 and Batch 21, males 2,600, females 3,900 learners.
These numbers of learners are into various facets of life; Farming, Fishing, Trading, Hairdressing and Dressmaking among others.
This was disclosed by the Acting Upper East Regional Coordinator of Non-Formal Education Division Adivila Arimiyaw at the 52nd Anniversary Celebration of the International Literacy Day, held at Zebilla in the Bawku West District of the Upper East Region.
The Anniversary Celebration was under the theme “Empowering through Literacy and skilled Development” and organized by the NFED.
It started at Zebilla Senior High Technical School with a rout match through the principal streets, with some students and workers of the NFED amidst brass band music, carrying placards some which read ‘age has no limit in learning’, ‘literate person is an enlightened person’, literacy is the key to socio-economic development among others.
Speaking to Radio Ghana, Adivila Arinmiyaw said the learners can now read, write and contribute meaningfully to issues of national interest saying, it has made illiterate parents now literate to support their children before, during school days and at home.
Mr. Arimiyaw indicated that, the 52nd edition of the celebration affords Ghanaians the opportunity to appraise the gains made so far towards meeting the demands of the non-literate population for improved living conditions.
He stated further that celebrating the International Literacy Day is very important in view of the fact that, it provides a new strategic direction to tackle the fight against poverty, since it serves as a constant reminder of the need for the collective efforts to deal with underemployment.
In his address, the Acting Upper East Regional Minister Frank Adongo Fuseni said, the aim of literacy day is to promote literacy such that one day, every individual will have that ability to read and in turn be able to use the skills to gain independence and autonomy.
He added that, the programme continue to revive the hopes of many citizens who would have been lost out of in formal education as a result of one challenge of the other.
He stated that, the programme is convenient for both adults and workers because it adapts local and familiar curriculum to provide for easy understanding, making the important areas of life such as agriculture, small business management environmental Sanitation and personal hygiene dominate the learning.
Functional literacy therefore stands to support the country’s development by raising people who are aware of themselves and society and can contribute effectively to improve the state of their homes and communities.
Story by: GBC’s Emmanuel Akayeti
