BY EMMANUEL SIMPOKOLWE
Lilongwe Community Development Officer, Annie Kamwendo, who is also the coordinator for adult literacy programme, has said the district has high illiteracy levels a situation which she says is worrisome.
According to Kamwendo, illiteracy rate in the district was at 38 percent surpassing a national rate which is at 31 percent.
Kamwendo said this at Chinsapo Learning Centre in Lilongwe,
The Centre offers adult literacy classes to women and basic primary school education to girls who drop out of school.
She said high illiteracy levels are a big challenge for many sectors as it retards the development of the country.
“It is sad that the majority of people who are illiterate are women who most times are the ones who conduct small scale businesses,” Kamwendo said.
She said Lilongwe District Council has 584 adult literacy classes on average with an enrollment of about 25 learners.
World Sharp under Chinsapo Learning Centre is training women and girls free-of-charge to reduce illiteracy around Chisapo.
Head of the Learning Centre, Raphael January, said at the end of the project, they want to ensure that all women and girls in Chinsapo are able to read and write and do calculations.
“Our target is for every woman or girl who doesn’t know how to read and write. We are working with traditional leaders to make sure they encourage people to attend the lessons which are free-of-charge,” January said.
January said the learning centre has Chichewa and English adult literacy classes.
