Stakeholders and residents gathered at Ekwanda Comprehensive School in Vihiga County to commemorate International Literacy Day, highlighting strides and challenges in adult learning and youth welfare.
Speaking during the event, Vihiga County Director for Adult Education Jared Koseso emphasized the importance of continuous learning for adults and called on those who have not enrolled to take advantage of available adult education centres.
“Within one year comprising just nine months of regular attendance, a learner becomes proficient. You will know how to read, write, speak and perform basic calculations,” Koseso said, urging community members to acquire essential skills ahead of future civic activities.
According to statistics shared by county education officials, Vihiga County currently has 1,439 registered learners across adult education centres, with an average attendance of 737 learners.
A total of 60 candidates sat for the recent proficiency examinations, out of which 42 were female. 54 candidates, 36 of them women, passed the test.
He said the successful candidates have been awarded certificates to mark that they are proficient enough to go about life in an improved way.
“They will now get into the next phase of literacy, which is called post-literacy, whereby they go for applied skills that they have managed to acquire,” Koseso explained.
He added that the certification will enable graduates to compete fairly in various opportunities.
Officials noted that basic literacy programs focus on foundational reading and writing, while post-literacy programs enable candidates to apply skills in practical and everyday contexts.
In a speech delivered on behalf of the County Commissioner, Luanda DCC Mary Awino noted that national adult literacy rates have improved from 61.5 percent in 2006 to 82.88 percent nationwide, with the Directorate of Adult Learning and Education managing about 5,220 adult education centres serving over 165,000 enrolled learners.
Furthermore, adult participation in national secondary examinations is on the rise, with over 13,000 adult learners registered to sit for the upcoming Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations, up from 7,700 candidates in the previous year.
The Deputy County Commissioner (DCC) echoed the call for continuous learning, noting that learning extends beyond classroom walls.
“Learning is continuous; we learn every single day. Learning isn’t just in the classroom; you can learn from your peers,” Awino said.
She raised concern over substance abuse and idling among the local youth, urging them to build valuable skills as well as constructive talent.
She cited a young man who entertained the crowd by playing drums as an example of focused talent exploitation, which can keep the youth away from destructive leisure.
“It pains me deeply when I travel along the roads and see groups of young people aged 20 or 21 wandering aimlessly, some with red eyes or unsteady strides,” Awino said.
She further cautioned parents against holding premature celebration parties when children complete basic examination levels like Grade 6 or Grade 9, warning those unmonitored gatherings often expose teenagers to alcohol, drugs and risky behaviour.
Despite national progress, official reports indicate that approximately 17.1 percent of Kenya’s adult population remains unable to read or write.
To address infrastructure and teacher shortages, the government is expanding partnerships, digital literacy programs and computer literacy centres in collaboration with international partners, including UNESCO and the Government of Japan.
By Victor Zedy
