Education is for adults also

from w
I was happy to read in the Fiji Times that computers are also being used by the mothers as well as the children from Namuka. When child and adult education goes hand in hand that is excellent. Sometimes there is such a gap between the kind of things children can do and that of their parents. When both learn to use computers that is a plus. Thank you Serafina for picking up this story.
Back to School

Serafina Silaitoga
Thursday, December 09, 2010

Women from Visoqo village at their computer class at the University of the South Pacific Labasa centre. THE expressions on their faces were of excitement and enthusiasm as eight village women got their hands on a computer keyboard for the first time. The women hail from Visoqo Village and are part of the Visoqo Village women's club in Namuka, Macuata.

They started their computer course at the University of the South Pacific's Labasa campus this week and were overwhelmed about their enrolment. They described the course as an interesting program that boosted their confidence to continue studies. Club president Ana Vika said tuition fees were paid by the American Government as part of a grant to the club. "The US Embassy gave us five computers as part of the grant. The members get to attend the computer course and learn more about the computing so that we can teach students of Visoqo District," she said. "The school library was a project of the club and the European Union helped set up a solar system in the school to provide electricity for the computers."

American Peace Corps Scott Gaston helped arrange the grant for the women. He said it was about time that children in rural areas were given the best education. "I am excited for these children. While being in that village and school as a Peace Corps volunteer, I want to help them get the best in education," Mr Scott said.

"The children of Visoqo deserve it so we will continue to strive for the best in education and give it to these children because we want them to have a successful future."

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.