Back to the Future

from w
What an interesting idea - the middle-aged women going to study computers in the Labasa area. Namuka is east of Labasa and good things are happening there. It is important that parents keep up the knowledge of new technology that their children are learning, otherwise they are left behind. Studies are not just for children. One man in our family is back to study - horticulture - and is loving the studies.

from today's Fiji Times:

Back to the classroom

Serafina Qalo
Wednesday, August 18, 2010

EVEN though they last sat in classrooms almost 30 years ago, a women's group in the Northern Division remains adamant of returning to school to take up computer lessons.

The Visoqo Village Women's Club in Namuka, Macuata, has already made arrangements with tertiary institutions in Labasa to register five women as students for the computer classes.

Club president Ana Vika said the women, between the ages of 35 to 40, would start their classes as soon as the fees arrived. "We are liaising with some foreign aid agencies and as soon as we finalise arrangements for the women's fees, we will confirm our places with the tertiary institution and get the women started. "The purpose of sending them back to school is to help them understand and know how to use a computer," Ms Vika said. "We had arranged for two computers for the Namuka district school library. The women can also use the computers to help teachers at the school teach the primary students," Ms Vika said.

She said the club contacted the Ministry of Education office in Labasa to inform senior education officials about the mother's idea of helping the four teachers who teach composite classes. "I think it will be a lighter load for the teachers and we as mothers', after all, want the best for our children," Ms Vika said. "Wwe are taking up this initiative of computer classes to assist the teachers thus giving our children the very best in education," Ms Vika said. "The women are all keen to return to school. They last held pens about 30 years ago while in primary and secondary school."

Even the women who only completed education at primary level in the 1970s and 1980s would also be given a chance to attend the computer classes.