31 Oct 2013

Adult education has potential to change lives and shape the future if given the recognition and respect it deserves.

In an interview, an adult educator in Tsabong, Ms Lorraine Gaelesiwe, said adult education was important as it could usher in prospects of literacy to the adults and those who did not have the opportunity to go through formal education.

She also said by educating its adults, the country would be moving towards realisation of one of the pillars of Vision 2016 of an informed and educated nation. She argued that education offered its beneficiaries survival skills

However, Ms Gaelesiwe identified lack of adequate structures of learning such as classes and shortage of proper books as challenges to adult education in her area. For his part, an adult learner, Mr Morgan Motsewapuo said adult education had improved his life because he was able to read and write.

“Adult education is a blessing to me because unlike before, I now have my privacy as I do not have to ask people to read my letters for me,” he said. Mr Motsewapuo also revealed that he could now sign cheques at banks and post offices on his own without assistance, read doctors’ prescriptions and follow them properly.

“Nowadays I use my leatherwork skills to earn a living. I make leather products such as reins and belts and sell them to earn an income,” he said. Mr Motsewapuo has however, decried lack of suitable structures for learning, saying that they used kgotlas and primary school classes.

He said sometimes primary school classes were used by the pupils and this usually disrupts their learning as they will have no where else to go. Consequently, Mr Motsewapuo advocated for adult schools to be constructed where they will be virtually no disruptions.

Another learner, Ms Kelebeofe Kgathileng commended adult education saying that it had helped her improve her agricultural methods since she could now read for herself. She talked of how customers used to take advantage of her illiteracy and bought her agricultural produce cheaply. ENDS