The ministry of education has vowed to scale up adult education campaign in the country by ensuring that every cell has at least four schools. The campaign aims at ensuring that all Rwandans can read, write and count; the standard benchmarks for literacy, which statistics show has exceeded the 70 per cent mark. The development was confirmed by Esperance Muziganyi, the officer in charge of adult literacy in the ministry. “We want to ensure 8,600 literacy centres are set up countrywide, to at least have four in every cell by 2015,” said Muziganyi. She said the ministry annually earmarks Rwf500 million toward adult literacy and they work with different partners in this undertaking. Currently, she said, there are 5,017 of such centres in the country, representative of just over two schools per cell. Among the major partners they work with include the United Nations Education and Cultural Organisation, while organisations such as the Pentecostal Church have their own learning centres. She said next year, they will use students on vacation after completing high school to teach at the centres as part of the voluntary national service. “The students will be trained on how to teach before they are deployed at the adult centres because to teach adults requires specific skills,” Muziganyi said. The ministry is also primed to engage in public awareness campaigns calling on those who cannot read or write to take up the opportunity. Jean-Paul Seneza, the secretary to the Pentecostal Church legal representative, said the church has been part of this initiative to bridge the illiteracy gap since 1999. Seneza said currently, they run 2,835 learning centres in the country, which are part of the number stated by the official in the education ministry. Bernard Twiringiyimana, 35, said the major reason most people do not attend learning centres is the shame they feel to be seen sitting in class.
