DEC ADULT LITERACY/BASIC EDUCATION FOR ADULT WOMEN

Over the years, Development Education Centre (DEC) Enugu has been doing everything humanly possible to empower women, especially those in the rural communities on human rights, good home-keeping, co-operative ability, community participatory activities, good sanitation, public enlightenment and peaceful co-existence among others.
In its efforts to improve on the number of participants to Adult Literacy among women in the rural areas, DEC NGO carried out its programme on “Speaking out Rally” in six communities. The communities selected include: Mgbidi, Ndeabor, Eha-Alumona ,Mmaku, Awhum and Opi in Enugu State. DEC introduced “DEC UBE scholarship programme in 2008 for graduates of DEC literacy classes who are interested in advancing to junior secondary school. During the speaking-out rally, villages were educated on DEC package for her literacy programme and the importance of Education in Human Development as well as introducing those people currently benefitting from the DEC UBE Scholarship programme. The DEC Adult Literacy programme is meant for adult women who have not achieved competences reading, writing as well as and adults who have never been to school and cannot read nor write. In order to improve the DEC’s Adult Literacy Programme, DEC Adult Literacy unit organizes her adult training and re-training its Adult Education Instructors quarterly, to improve their knowledge in teaching adults.

TESTIMONIES

The UBE students were eager to testify on their benefit from Adult Literacy.

1. Ani Euphemia is in JSS 2B at Urban Secondary School Ameachi-Idodo, She testified that the education has revived her brain. She now understands certain issues she was previously ignorant of. She emphasized that from her JSS 1 to JSS 2, she has gathered more knowledge than she expected. She then claimed to have now been exposed to a modern system of living.

2. Ngozi Egbo explained that she never knew that she will be opportuned to get educated as a married woman again. She appreciated that DEC programme has given her a chance to be exposed and know more. Her annual result from the class has shown her that she is now a better person than she.

3. Florence Ani explained that there are certain things she had no knowledge of that she is now been taught in school. She explained that her difficult subject is Mathematis, but she scored Alpha for English, Igbo, Agriculture, Religious Knowledge, and Business Studies. She was disappointed in Integrated Science which she thought that she would score Alpha; likewise Introductory Technology, Social Studies and Health Education.
She stated that she would have know herself to be so intelligent this DEC programme. She also said that her hygiene level has improved and her home-keeping is better now than before. She revealed that her self confidence higher than before because she can now address the public.

4. Ifeoma Mba, a beneficiary and a student in Community Secondary School Imilike-Agu, testifies that her English Language has improved. She also exclaimed that she can travel to any urban area without inhibition, because she will be able to locate places easily. Also, she boasted that her self-esteem has improved

CHALLENGES

Development Education Centre (DEC) Enugu as a non-governmental organization is committed to assist both Federal and State Governments in their relentless efforts to improving the standard of Education, and reduce adult illiteracy in the State. DEC also observed the problems militating against advancement of education, especially Adult Education in the country. Despite noticeable issues of physical disorder, poverty, financial constraints, all hands should be on deck to improve the standard of Education in the country.
DEC will continue to involve participatory and pragmatic planning for effective monitoring and evaluation, according to the frequencies specified by the organization management. Based on the findings after evaluation and monitoring by the officers in-charge, DEC will as from next year map out strategies aimed at improving its Adult Education Programme in rural Communities, and Provision of instructional material, such as text books, and collaboration with National Educational Research and Curriculum Development (NERDC).