Blantyre, February 8: The Blantyre Community Development Office has expressed concern over the few number of men enrolling into its adult Literacy classes.
The programme provides a chance to men and women who dropped out of school to learn how to read and write; but in Blantyre, most illiterate men are shunning the program.
Assistant Community Development Officer for Blantyre, Agness Napwanga attributed the retrogressive behaviour to masculinity, noting that some men felt uncomfortable to learn alongside women.
Napwanga made the remarks Saturday at Hunger Project’s Mpingo Epicentre in Mpingo Village, Traditional Authority Somba in Blantyre. It was during a certificate presentation ceremony marking the graduation of 19 women and one man who had completed a one-year adult literacy education course.
“It is worrisome that few men are showing interest in adult literacy education here in Blantyre. Illiteracy negatively affects development because one has to know how to read and write in order to participate meaningfully in any development.
“Let me plead with traditional and religious leaders to encourage their followers to utilize the initiative. The programme is there to continue developing the country economy by changing people’s mindset,” urged Napwanga.
Mwayi Kadzongwe, Mpingo Epicenter Project officer said functional literacy programme was one of the interventions Hunger Project Malawi was implementing in line with Millennium Development Goals.
‘‘I am very much concerned with men who are shunning adult literacy classes and pretend to be literate. My concern is that while government together with the development partners are working tirelessly to eradicate illiteracy in our country, men are left behind and many would not know how to read, write and do simple arithmetic.”
Added Kadzongwe: “It is only those who know how to read and write that can benefit from small scale businesses because they have the knowledge of how to record figures and whether they are making profit or not.”
The only 56 year old man who graduated Maxwell Albert said Adult literacy education has completely changed his life, stating it had improved his level of understanding.
Albert has since urged men to patronize all adult literacy classes if they are make positive contributions towards the country’s development projects.
