7 September 2007
Illiteracy is steadily being eradicated in KwaZulu-Natal with the graduation
of the first group of 8 000 learners at the Royal Show Grounds in
Pietermaritzburg on Tuesday, 11 September 2007, commencing at 09h30. This
graduation forms part of the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government's
Masifundisane Campaign. Of the 8 000 graduates, the youngest is 19 years old
and the eldest is 101. One of the graduates, who are about 90 years old, will
be leaving her hometown of Nongoma for the first time in her entire life in
order to attend her graduation ceremony in Pietermaritzburg.
KwaZulu-Natal Premier Sibusiso Ndebele will deliver the keynote address.
Western Cape Education MEC Cameron Dugmore is also scheduled to attend. Premier
Ndebele will be joined by Members of his Executive Council as well as senior
government officials and other dignitaries. Masifundisane is a response of the
KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government to the high illiteracy rates in the
province.
KwaZulu-Natal has about 1,2 million non-literate persons, who, by virtue of
their not being able to read or write, do not enjoy the fruits of democracy in
a literate world. Under the leadership of Premier Ndebele, the Provincial
Executive Council approved a three-year literacy campaign that would involve
all departments and the broad community of KwaZulu-Natal, with the Department
of Education taking the responsibility as implementing department. The
Masifundisane Campaign started in June 2006 and its aim is to turn things
around for those people who are illiterate and innumerate.
According to Premier Ndebele's pronouncements to change things around for
the illiterate people of KwaZulu-Natal, he emphasised that, had they been able
to pass through the doors of a classroom, they would ordinarily be assured a
certain measure of privacy with regard to the confidential information that
comes to them by way of written word; they would not need a "reader", they
would be able to read their Bibles and other religious literature as and when
they wish they would be spared the discomfort of not knowing if the change
offered following a purchase is in fact the right amount as well as the
embarrassment that comes with the inability to append one's signature on a very
important document except by "thumb print".
It is common cause that sustained illiteracy, for the most part, results in
sustained unemployment, poverty, crime of varying intensity, for example being
cheated out of one's pension by the learned members of one's very family. This
does a lot of harm to the dignity of the illiterate person. This programme is
thus a modified adult training programme which runs in two streams, a literacy
stream that takes four months and a numeracy stream that takes two months.
Many more people in the province are being trained and all municipalities
are involved. It is envisaged that at least 80% of the training would have been
completed by April 2009.
All media are invited to attend the various events. Please note picture
opportunities. Journalists attending must confirm their attendance by no later
than 14h00 on Monday, 10 September 2007, as per the contact details listed
below.
Enquiries:
Logan Maistry
Premier's Spokesperson
KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government
Cell: 083 6444 050
E-mail: maistryl@premier.kzntl.gov.za
Issued by: Office of the Premier, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government
7 September 2007
