admin
Blessing Rwizi : Post Correspondent
SMALL-SCALE farming activities in Nyanga District have vastly improved over the recent years as more villagers are engaging in adult basic education.At least 45 primary schools in Nyanga North and South are assisting adults with knowledge in horticulture, poultry, bee-keeping, piggery, carpentry, crafting and basketry projects among others.
Villagers are also being taught to read and write as from Grade One upwards.
Three secondary schools are further teaching computer lessons to get the community members exposed to technology and improve their farming knowledge among other activities, regardless of their age.
ABE programme in Nyanga is accommodating people from 18 years and above, but most people taking part are above 40 years.
Females make up more than 60 percent of their total amount.
Due to the economic hardships, most schools are offering adult education for free.
The adult students are therefore putting the knowledge that is being injected into them into practical resulting in a rapid improvement of their farming activities.
They further hold cluster, district and provincial competitions, exhibiting their yields and products. To some extend this is motivating them, resulting in hard work.
Nyanga District Schools Inspector, Mr Shadreck Sithole, urged more schools to encourage adults to enroll for the programme.
“This programme is being very useful to Nyanga community and we have seen an improvement in livelihoods ever since it started.
We are trying to meet the national vision that people should have quality life through education and the results being produced by Nyanga adults are quite impressing,” said Mr Sithole.
In an interview with one of the teachers from Sedze Primary School, Mrs Ruth Chingwanda, she said: “We sometimes face difficulties in teaching some of these people how to read and write because some had never stepped on the doorstep of a school before.
However, at the end of the day they catch up and produce good results in their practicals, resulting in a change in their livelihoods. The programme is being very helpful and as teachers we will continue helping them.”
Mrs Juliet Asidhi (56) from Nyamhuka Village is one of the farmers who are taking part in the ABE programme.
She said: “I had never been to school all my life and now I am in Grade One, but I have poultry, piggery and horticulture projects. I have seen a great improvement ever since I started learning how to read and write.
Now I am finding it easy to send my children to school and meet my family needs. It is my wish to reach Grade Seven and acquire more knowledge in as much as farming is concerned.”
Online Reporter