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In South
Africa, it's never too old to learn
Monday, October 11, 2010 11:24:30 AM,
IANS
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Johannesburg: As children, they never had the chance to
get an education. But for many elderly people in South Africa, the
opportunity has finally come even if they have now become
grandparents.
As part of the education department's "Kha ri Gude" ("let us
learn" in South Africa's Tshivenda dialect) literacy campaign, 16
elderly people who never went to school are learning to read and
do basic mathematics in the afternoons at a primary school in Acornhoek town in the Limpopo region, BuaNews, the national news
agency, reported.
Student Lizzy Mathebula, 59, from Timbavati village, says poverty
prevented her from getting an education.
"As a child, I knew there was a school where people went to learn
to read and write, but I never got the chance to do the same. When
I heard about this project that helps people like me, I
registered," she said.
Mathebula has only been to the Mugidi primary school for three
months, but already her reading has improved.
"I can read my Shangaan Bible without hiccups and I know soon I
will be able to read the English version too," she said.
Dickson Mnisi, 67, the only man in the class and the school's
security guard, said he loves attending these adult literacy
classes.
"When I'm on night shift, I always make sure I catch up with what
they learned. I would recommend this to all people who cannot read
or count because once you can, you don't have to rely on strangers
to help you withdraw your money at banks."
Mnisi is also excited because he can now write his full name.
While the students kept singing praises of their teacher, she is
also delighted about her role in bringing changes in their lives.
"I heard about Kha ri Gude looking for young people with
postgraduate qualification to volunteer as teachers for illiterate
elderly people, and I grabbed the opportunity," said Nkateko
Fortunate.
"They are easy to teach because they are so willing to learn.
There is nothing better than seeing my students become independent
with regard to their reading and writing."
Kha ri Gude is recognised by the South African Qualification
Authority.
The campaign was launched in February 2008 with the intention of
enabling 4.7 million adults to become literate. Achieving this
goal will enable South Africa to reach its "Education For All"
commitment made in 2000 - that of halving the country's illiteracy
rates by 2015.
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