Investigating Reasons why Mancheula Community in Katete district lags beheind in adult litaeracy
Date
2011-05-06
Authors
Daka, John Faindani
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Abstract
The purpose of this thesis was to study the levels of adult literacy among the Chewa people of Mancheula Community. This area is at the border between Zambia and Mozambique. In this study, sample population came from eight villages in Mancheula: Fifty households, forty individual adult participants chosen among the leadership in the community, and ten groups for focus group discussion (FGDs) were drawn. The fifty households were drawn as subjects through systematic sampling and they were given questionnaires to answer. Forty subjects were chosen through purposeful sampling to whom in - depth interview was administered.
For focus group discussion, ten groups comprising five to six people were drawn out by random sampling approach.
Although this research study predominantly employed qualitative research methodology, quantitative methodology was used in computing data and presenting it using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS).
The study brought out many findings. Many adults are unable to read and write just as it is the case with the children of the area. There are no adult literacy programmes in the area and it appears the many Non- Governmental Organizations (NGOs) that have mushroomed in cities and the line of rail have no intention to go to rural areas. There are also many factors that hinder children (the future adults) to go to school. Among these factors are nyau activities, cattle herding and early marriages.
Arising from these findings of the study, the following are some of the recommendations made to the government of Zambia:
Set up a literacy centre in Mancheula that would reach the youths and adults
who formal education (FE) eluded;
District Education Board should embrace Chiefs to help facilitate educational
activities in their areas;
Integrate local African indigenous knowledge systems such as nyau,
Cinamwali, mphala and pa mtondo. This would culminate into localized
curriculum that would give learners continuity thereby closing the existing
gaps in the education
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Keywords
Adult Literacy-Zambia , Literacy-Zambia