NFED facilitators receive incentives(May 10, 2010. P. 54)

THE Kassena-Nankana East District Co-ordinator of the Non-Formal Education Division, Mr. Bernard Akara has lauded the programme stressing that it has contributed to the reduction of illiteracy in the district.
According to him, it has also promoted high participation in communal labour and development activities in the districts.
Mr. Akara made these comments at a ceremony where facilitators of the programme in the district were presented with incentives for their hard work. The package for the facilitators comprises bicycles, sewing machines, Zinc and radio cassettes players.
Touching on the achievements of the programme over the years, Mr. Akara said the Non-Formal Education programme has contributed to poverty reduction of the learners and their dependants as a result of t he income-generating activities which is the bed rock of the programme.
He noted that young learners are encouraged to enroll in formal schools and this has contributed in the increase of pupils, especially the girl-child in the primary school, leading to some continuing to higher levels.
He added that the acquisition of skills in the areas of writing, reading and computation by the learners ii on the ascendency in almost all the communities in the district, while learners now have accessibility to banks and other financial institutions for credit facilities like micro—credit.
Mr. Akara, however noted that despite the achievements and successes of the functional literacy programme in the districts, there are a few challenges. These, he said include the lack of structures, forcing organizers of the programme to run classes in t he open, under trees and in private buildings.
Another challenge posed by some learners and facilitators is the unannounced migration to the southern parts of the country by some of the learners to seek for jobs or join relatives
“We also lack both physical and moral support from community members, chiefs, elders, opinion leaders and assembly members, in the area of co-operation and encouragement”, he lamented.
As a way forward, he called on the district assembly, opinion leaders, chiefs to support the communities to put up structures for the learners, since that will go a long way to boost the morale of facilitators and learners.
The District Chief Executive, Mr. Emmanuel Andema in a speech read on his behalf commended the facilitators and the learners for their dedication, stressing that the benefits of the education, no matter the level was enormous.
He pledged the assembly’s support in the area of extending electricity to communities without light to enhance the teaching and learning process.