Adult Literacy

Literacy Story by Student

My father died when I was 7 years old and I was adopted by my grandfather and they put me in a school at Bisiatabu when I was 8 years old. But their are problem. My mother got married to another man and no one looking after my problems so I could not complete my Grade 3. That did not stop me from getting more knowledge. So I grow up I starting looking for job and found a job at loundriclge work for just 8 month and I resigned. So Hugo Canning wants some girls working in his compine. So I work there for 2 year. So my Cousin sister was their too because of my cousin got married to a highlend fellow. So my parent got me out from work so I have no choice so I got married. When I was 17 year all in my married I was finding ways to improve my knowledge. I started joining family planning course at Hohola Health Centre for Distribute Family Planning Plies, from there community group selected me for Woman's Council Leader. That time I was ten years backslied. So until I am back to joined SDA curch in 1989 and from there I was selected as a Community Service leader just in 1998 and now I am a District Community Service Coordinator and I want more learning. When I was Sabbath School Teacher adult teacher (mother class) in my class there are some mother like me who don't read and write. So I wanted help then. When I finish my training then when I become a literacy teacher I want to teach others too. So I want to learning more about English. I thankyou for our God's blessing to ADRA and workers for literacy trainer and teacher. May God bless you all.

by Sebea Geita, Level 5 literacy graduate in Port Moresby

In PNG 42% of males and 50% of females age 5 and above have not attended any formal education. Only 56% of females aged 15 years or over are literate. Around 50% of children of primary school age do not attend school. Literacy programs are important because improvements in literacy levels are directly related to improvements in economic status and in health and education levels of children. Learning how to read and write also gives people a boost to their self-esteem and encourages them to participate in other community or church activities.

ADRA PNG has an effective adult literacy program that is working with illiterate people in the Morobe, Central, Manus and Bougainville provinces of PNG. ADRA is able to teach community members who are already literate and willing to sacrifice a significant portion of their time how to help others, and how to teach others literacy and basic numeracy skills.

These volunteer village-based teachers or tutors then use a simple method to assist a small number of learners at a time learn to read and write either Tok Pisin or tok ples (local language). Some teachers are also using the method to teach English. The project also incorporates simple financial and personal management skills and simple business or vocational skills into the literacy activities.