Kunle Adelabu
The Head of the Lagos State Agency for Mass Literacy, Mrs Kemi Kalesanwo, has stated that adults that missed being educated while they were young, have been provided with a second chance through the mass education initiative in the state.
Kalesanwo, who stated that the Governor of the State, Mr Babajide Sanwo – Olu, is passionate about adult education, also disclosed that there are over 800 centres for mass education in the state.
She spoke in an interview with THE IMPACT while on a sensitization campaign to Ikorodu at the weekend.
“We are here to carry our advocacy campaign on a mass literacy programme. It is an annual exercise that is carried out throughout the state and it is aimed at sensitising the populace about the mass education initiative of the state government. We decided to start the sensitisation with our royal fathers because we know that they are closer to the grassroots people”, Mrs Kalesanwo said.
“We decided to start with them because we want their support and we want them to key into what we are doing in Lagos State. The Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo – Olu, believes so much in adult education. He is passionate about it and that is why we are here to sensitise the people about what we are doing about adult education in the state”, she added.
“We have over 800 literacy centres that we run in Lagos State and the government pays the facilitators who teach the adult learners”.
She stated that her agency usually partners with Non – Governmental organisations, religious groups and community associations to ensure that more people in the State are taught how to read and write.
“We also partner with non- governmental organizations, both local and international ones, as well as local governments, faith – based organizations, community – based organizations, because we realised that the state cannot do it all alone.
“So, we work with these organizations to ensure that the literacy rate in Lagos State grows higher”.
Mrs Kalesanwo also stated that more people are embracing the mass education initiative which she described as a second chance for adults that missed going to school while they were younger.
“If I tell you, you will be shocked at the rate of participation because people are so much interested in this programme because it is free.
“We see it as a second chance for such people who did not have the opportunity of going to school or completing their school while they were young”, she said.
“Apart from the fact that it is free, the Lagos State Government also pays the facilitators and provides them with textbooks, reading and learning materials. So, that has allowed a lot of people to come into the programme.
“Like you know, Lagos being a Smart City, we keep having an influx of people into the state and as a result, we have to cater for such people who do not know how to read and write”.
She stated that social media lessons form part of the agency’s curricular as participants are taught the importance of the phone beyond using it to call.
“Social media is critical and part of what we make use of in propagating our programmes. These people are illiterate and most of them are not on social media, but we encourage them to use it. For instance, we teach them the use of the phone and by the time that they learn this, they also realize that the phone is not meant to call alone but that they can also go on social media platforms.
“We actually teach them how to go on Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram and others and we use the social media to propagate what we do in Lagos State.
According to Mrs Kalesanwo, other courses being taught at the adult literacy centres are English Language, Numeracy, Life Skills and Health among others.
“In our various centres, we teach them English Language so that they can be able to read and write. We also teach them Numeracy, we don’t call it Mathematics, and this is to enable them know how to calculate figures.
“We also engage them on Life Skills. This is to make them learn and know what is happening in their areas so that they will be able to thrive very well. We teach them about governance so as for them to know about how they are being governed.
“There are also Health Issues because they must know how to take care of themselves and children when they are sick. They need to know that they don’t just keep them in their house and give them paracetamol but that they need to take them to the hospital to see professional doctors”.
She pleaded with the adults that are yet to take the advantage of learning how to read and write, to consider the opportunity which, according to her, is free.
“My advice is that if you know that you cannot read and write, this is the second opportunity for you. I want you to seize the opportunity by coming forward to learn.
“Go to your Local Government Areas and see the Head of Education there or go to your Church or you could even come to our office, Lagos State Agency for Mass Education at the State Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja. If you come, we are going to tell you the nearest centre closer to your place because we have them scattered around the state.
“We want them to go to the centre closer to their houses so that they don’t need to take transportation to their centres.
