Africa-Press – Zambia. The new dawn government’s free – education policy has like a whale wind taken its toll on many social-economically disadvantaged members of the general public, such as adult learners.
While classroom space has become a headache to crack with so far as education administrators are concerned, the adult learners do not in the least want to be left out as mere spectators.
Against this background, over 50 women have enrolled in the adult literacy and numeric class at Ndola’s Chawama primary school in the Copperbelt Province.
Having felt the exhilarating mood and excitement that goes with learning, these ‘ matures “ have nothing but commend government for the free- education policy which has also scrapped off fees attached to adult literacy programme.
Ms Martha Mulubwa, who dropped out of school in grade seven , 11 years ago has enrolled in the adult literacy and numeric class at Chawama says she decided to go back to class to learn how to read so that she can complete secondary education.
Ms Mulubwa who is also a mother, praised government for removing the K30 that they used to pay previously before introducing the free education. Florence Kunda, 45, who is also a learner at Chawama Basic school said the removal of the fee has attracted many women in the communities to get enrolled so that they can learn to read and write.
Ms Kunda hoped to learn how to read and write so that she can participate in the development in her community as well as belong to women clubs without facing the embarrassment of not knowing how to read.
ZANIS caught up with the visibly excited women attending class at Chawama Primary School in Ndola and displayed less difficulty in identifying and pronouncing vows in readiness to read.
And Chawama Primary School Head teacher, Mary Mwale said the school has received overwhelming response from both the adult literacy and the main classes.
“ From having 3100 in January this year, an additional 700 hundred pupils have been enrolled at the school from January to date, “ she said. She confirmed that the over enrollment has created a deficiency of desks making other children to sit on the floor during classes.
The Educationist hopes that government will continue to support the school with more desks as so far 17 were sourced by the district commissioner and other stakeholders. Following government’s re-introduction of free education a number of government schools have witnessed challenges in classroom space.
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