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Non-formal Education Division calls for more resources

The Non-formal Education Division of the Ministry of Education has called for commitment in the funding of adult literacy and non-formal education programmes in the country.

In a statement to mark this year’s International Literacy Day, which fell on September 8, 2013, the division said,“If the recent research of the Institute of Statistics, Social and Economic Research (ISSER), which pecked adult illiteracy in Ghana at 46 per cent is anything of concern, then the need for highlighting the importance of literacy as a basic learning tool, the acquisition of new Literacies and lifelong learning, is critical ”

The theme for this year’s commemoration is “Literacies and the 21st century”.

The division said the quest for speedy national socio-economic development called for full incorporation of computer literacy into education in Ghana.

It said this was well strategised in the formal sector.

“The non-formal education sector and ICT are, however, lagging behind. Adult learners cannot be left out in the desire of the nation to catch up with the rest of the world through ICT,” it added.

The non-formal education division said as the countrymoved towards a cashless economy, it had become even more compelling to push for financial literacy that promotes electronic transactions (e-cash).

“Apart from the need to target pupils and students with this competency right from school, those who make the decisions about money now; adults, especially the non literates and those in the informal sector, need to be targeted also,” it said.

The division said other areas of literacy concerns were health, climate change, agriculture (use of chemicals) and road safety.

It said as Ghana joined the rest of the world to commemorate the 47th International Literacy Day, committed resolve should be made to fund the Non-Formal Education Division of the Ministry of Education and its partners to promote the acquisition of basic and other Literacies.

In the 21st century, every citizen of Ghana, especially the youth, need to be empowered to function and exercise their freedom in the information and literate society.

The statement said annually, from 1966, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), has observed the day with the intention to alert and rally international interest and active support for literacy activities.

The world organisation, it said,expected countries to exhibit their support and solidarity for basic literacy and literacy in its varied forms.The agenda is also to promote non-formal education for all, particular for those who have been excluded from the school system.

The 21st century brought varied forms of literacies, the foremost being in the sphere of Information and Communication Technology (ICT).

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