LLG to host adult literacy program

Ramoaina Court in the Duke of York LLG is one of the first areas in Kokopo district to conduct its adult literacy program which was funded through Adventist Development and Relief Agency under the AusAid program.

The program was opened by representative from the Community Development sector within its LLG administration and ward members of Waira and Watara ward.

The program was facilitated by the New Britain-New Ireland Mission of Seven Day Adventist basically to train adults and youths who have never been to any formal education system and can not read and write, to sound or recognise the alphabet and read their Bibles.

NBNIM Women Ministry coordinator Dianne Pelap said this training was made possible after it was conducted for the adult literacy teachers earlier in April this year at Rakunai parish where participants from Pomio, Baining, Wide Bay, and Open bay attended the three-month training.

The one-month training was in Tok Pisin which attracted 18 participants, 14 female and four males, from Ramoina court area.

Mrs Libai, a participant, said she can now understand the basic training that she had received, after she left school at grade three.

She said it was so difficult for her to read her Bible in Tok Pisin but with the kind of training that she had receive today, this has enhanced her to teach her children in reading in Tok Pisin.

Ms Pelap said those who could read Tok Pisin showed interest to bridge to english and others who are english readers classified under the advanced group and that’s where the next phase of training will be next at the Molot court area next month.

She said it was the phonics sound and its rules that attracted great interest from the participants in which they have not come across to learn the basics about sounding letters while in school.

The relationship between the letters and how they are linked to form a word is very important in one’s learning, and that is what we teach them about.

Dianne Pelap

Another male participant said education was a setback in their own community with most illiterate and very few reaching grade 8 to 12.