From grandparents to graduates: The inspiring stories of elderly learners

THE Government’s initiative to provide life skills training to all, regardless of background, has proven that determination is the key to unlocking new opportunities. Among the graduates at the 95th Bulawayo Polytechnic graduation ceremony, Maria Mutare, a 58-year-old from Binga, Matabeleland North, stood out as a testament to this spirit.

Surrounded by predominantly young graduates, Mutare’s presence was a poignant reminder of the programme’s impact. Despite never completing primary school and having only one child finishing high school, she wore her graduation gown with immense pride, marking a monumental achievement in her life.

Mutare enrolled in the Integrated Skills Expansion Outreach Programme (ISEOP) to equip general citizens with life skills even without them having any prior qualifications. Without educational and academic certificates, she is now able to bake cakes, following a three-month training programme.

“This is going to assist me in my life. I didn’t even complete primary education but now I’m able to bake cakes. When I heard of this opportunity, I grabbed it because I believe it can change my family’s course of life. I joined a baking course in June and I’m now able to bake cakes, and this is a skill that will help me in life,” said Mutare.

She said she has broken a family ceiling that even her children have never achieved.

“Only one of my children reached Form 4, another ended in Form 2, while another did not complete Grade 7. So I have made a serious achievement,” she said.

Lebecca Mwinde (56) from Samende, Binga, also shared the same joy, saying it was her hope that through the skills development, she would alleviate her family’s poverty. The feeling was the same for Naido Siankonono, who received a building certificate.

“For me, I was just a builder without any qualification. But now I know the type of construction that I will be doing. I have even been taught business management, so this is key for me as I aim to make a better living through my skill, which has now been enhanced through the knowledge I obtained,” he said.

Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development Minister Professor Amon Murwira said his ministry intends to spread ISEOP across the country in the coming five years.

“ISEOP puts emphasis on imparting practical skills that lead to the acquisition of competencies leading to the production of goods and services. In the next five years, our ambition is for the ISOEP programme to touch every village in every corner of the country, thus leaving no place and no one behind,” said Prof Murwira.

Bulawayo Polytechnic principal Chiedza Masanganise, whose institution is critical in the teaching of skills to communities, said all that is needed is a heart willing to learn.

“These are skills training programmes where we say this is independent of age, independent of your training levels, but you have a chance to learn a skill that you can use to gain money for yourself and even take care of your family. You would have noticed that there were quite some elderly people who were among those who were graduating. We were offering them the courses, and they seem to be interested in the courses because after that, they have skills and can work anywhere,” said Masanganise.

“All they need to bring is their willingness. We start from there. The idea is to have basic education so that they are able to read and write, and we start from there.”

She said communities in Binga and Plumtree, where the programme is being rolled out, have shown great enthusiasm in partaking in the exercise.

“They feel like they didn’t have that chance to travel to places like Bulawayo to get trained. So as we are imparting those skills to them, they feel grateful to the ministry for having introduced the courses and availing the training that is going on.

Some of them are involved in solar power installations, cake icing, cake baking, cookery, brick and block laying, plumbing, and at the end of the day, some of the construction we are doing, we are actually using those we would have trained under our supervision,” she said. – @nqotshili