Vernacular comics, literary primers, a newsletter called Leaves: that's the way to teach those in Asia who've never had the chance
Never too late to learn
MODERN-day teaching and learning are complementary processes. And it was to
learn and share experiences that people from South Asia involved in literacy met
in New Delhi on July 19. Says Cut Srivastava, coordinator, Asian South
Pacific Bureau of Adult Education (ASPBAE), who organised this meeting:
"The workshop produced a productive range of ideas. We sent our guests to different Indian states - right down to the village level - to witness the functioning of the literacy programmes".
ASPBAE is the regional arm of the International Council for Adult
Education, an international NGO which seeks to promote literacy at the grassroots level. It provides technical, financial and intellectual support to member organisations: vernacular comics, literacy primers, and a regional environmental education newsletter called Leaves are soon to be published by them.
The Indian experience in literacy was viewed with appreciation. Says
Shaheen Ahmed of Pakistan, " We were all struck by the level of support the
Indian government has given to the programme and the enthusiasm with
which people joined in. But I wondered whether the programme would be able
to sustain itself. A permanent structure needs to be created."
Shaheen works for Self Help Entrepreneur (SHE), a Lahore-based NGO
which helps neo-literates become self-employed. "In Pakistan," she says, "the
Buniyaad Literacy Community Council is the apex body. Our own NGO has
strong links with the Pakistan Academy of Social Sciences. This Academy develops educational material and also trains teachers."
Says Shyam K Shreshtha of Nepal, a senior programme officer of World
Education Inc, "The literacy programme must have strong links with income generating schemes and environment building schemes. In Nepal, there are 6,000 NGOs working at village and grassroots levels to further the cause
of literacy."
His own organisation develops learning material, trains teachers and
channels funds from USAID to needy NGOs. Thinlay Wangdi from verdant
Bhutan says that the literacy drive in his country is being spearheaded by the
government. "But," he adds, "our emphasis is on primary education. We
want to tackle the entire dropout problem from its roots - 33 centres have
been started on a pilot scale for adult education and the response has been
positive. We are really looking for the best approach and we will take our time
in planning an appropriate curriculum and training a committed group of professional instructors."
In Bangladesh, the literacy drive is being spearheaded by the Gono
Shakkharata Abhiyan (CAMPE), a coalition of mainstream NGOS. Says Habibur
Rahman, coordinator, "We decided it would be best to pool our resources
together and work with the government." CAMPE intends to provide technical and financial support plus function as a full-fledged resource centre and
databank for all organisations involved in spreading learning. CAMPE's emphasis
is on non-formal learning. It intends to involve dropouts and older children
within the mainstream literacy programme.
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