– Considers Jorjete de Jesus, Provincial Director of Education and Human Development of Maputo
In the whole world, every year is celebrated the International Literacy Day, on 8th September. In this year, the commemorations of this anniversary, at Maputo Province level, took place at the Guava Primary School in Marracuene District, and these were led by the Provincial Director of Education and Human Development (PDEHD), Jorjete de Jesus, on behalf of the Provincial Government.
In her speech, de Jesus stated that “I would like to wish to all participants a happy party, reflecting on Literacy, guided by the principle that Maputo Province should be a school where we all learn and we all teach, according to our first President of Mozambique, Samora Moisés Machel”.
According to Maputo's PDEHD, the International Literacy Day celebrations are an unparalleled moment for reflection on the importance of literacy for communities and country as a whole. “So we are all called to mobilize people who cannot read, write and count in our communities to join the Open Literacy Centers in all districts of our province”, she said.
“The celebrations of this date also constitute a lever to enhance the campaigns that characterized the first years of our National Independence, held in 1975. We have seen, in those years, many people involved actively in the illiteracy eradication”, she said.
According to Maputo’s PDEHD, “we are celebrating the 8th of September of this year under the slogan ‘Literacy for the Development of Skills for Life’. This theme brings us to a deep reflection, around the real needs of the Adult Education in our country”.
“Today, using the telephone is a necessity for all citizens, so it is necessary to know how to read and write, which is only possible if the person has studied, no matter if it was in the school or in the Literacy Center near our home”, he said adding that Literacy must also be directed towards the acquisition of life skills in order to respond to our current challenges”.
"We have to highlight the support of our partners in the Adult Education area in Mozambique. Let me give you some examples: from UNESCO (which supports us in the implementation of family learning approaches, under the Malala Initiative); DVV International (which supports us in the implementation of the Integrated Literacy and Adult Education Program, the Mozambican Association for Cooperative Development, among others, “he said, adding that “these supports are a demonstration that we are not alone in Illiteracy battle in Mozambique”.
Our source remembered that according to the Family Budget Survey (IOF), Maputo Province has an Illiteracy rate of 19.6%. However, to deal with this problem, 332 Alphabets were enrolled this year as well as enrolled 7,611 Alphabetians of which 5,948 are women, belonging to 179 Adult Education Centers.
“However, the numbers we have are very few, so all those who cannot read, write and count should enroll themselves to the Adult Education Centers closest to their homes”, he said, adding that “we’re aware that many potential Adult Education candidates go to work to support themselves and their families, therefore; the government has created conditions for them to attend the literacy at any time, so we have classes in the morning, afternoon and evening".
During the celebrations of 8th of September, the best Alphabetizeers and Alphabetizers were awarded and the event was brightened by cultural moments.