Acquisition of functional literacy skills, essential for national

development-Antwi

Mampong (Ash), Aug.15, GNA- Mr. Osei Assibey Antwi, Deputy Ashanti Regional minister, on Tuesday said the acquisition of functional literacy skills by the citizenry was essential for national development. He observed that no nation could develop or progress with a greater number of its adult population remaining illiterate.

Mr Antwi said this in a speech read on his behalf at the first Ashanti Regional Adult Literacy Twi reading competition, organized by the Regional Directorate of the Non-Formal Education Division (NFED) of the Ministry of Education, at Asante Mampong.

He said government appreciated efforts by the Division to get more adults to read, write and compute noting that about 152,250 adults have been trained in both reading and occupational skills under phase II of the literacy programme from 2000-2006.

Mr Antwi said government expected that enrolment, participation and retention level of learners to increase with the introduction of the competition.

He expressed hope that the Division would form cordial working relationship with other stakeholders to ensure the success of the Functional Literacy Programme towards the realization of the Millennium Development Goals.

Mr Antwi expressed satisfaction that the Programme has established about 22 FM stations across the country including Mighty FM in the Ashanti Region.

In a address read on his behalf, Mr. J.O. Afrani, Acting Director of the Division, said several activities have been undertaken by the Division to sustain the Programme and cited development of follow-up readers, community newspapers, supplementary readers, comic and easy-to-read books and literacy games.

He announced that regional competitions were going on in all the ten regions in the country in preparation towards the international literacy day celebration which would be observed in September this year. Mr. Afrani indicated that the principal objective of the Programme was to reduce illiteracy in the country.

Mr. Francis Asumadu, Ashanti Regional Director of the Division, congratulated the facilitators of the programme for their hard work. He said "For us in the NFED there is nothing more refreshing and resuscitating than to see that those we helped and supported are developing and growing".

Mr. Asumadu announced that the batch 15 group of learners had been opened in Ashanti Region and appealed to illiterate adults to take advantage of it and improve on their lifestyle.

Mr. Rockson Kofi Agyekum, Asante Mampong Municipal Chief Executive, noted that education was a life long process and the future of the nation depended on informal educated and skilled citizens. He said education would assist citizens to fulfil their personal goals and to acquiring skills for the socio-economic and cultural development of their community and the nation.

Mr Agyekum noted that through the literacy programme, 2,917 adult learners have passed out and that currently, the Municipality has 49 Twi classes and three English classes adding that 3,500 learners have benefited from the programme.

Sixty-five-year-old Madam Afua Amoah of Kokobriko in the Bosomtwe-Atwima-Kwanwoma area, who emerged the winner of the competition, would receive her award on the International Literacy Day to be held at Dodowa.

The second prize would go to Madam Constance Konadu of Akutuoase in the Asante Akim North District with Madam Esther Addai Poku placing third.