I've written a basic business curriculum for women. We started the lessons a few weeks ago, aimed at women in tailoring and embroidery projects. Cooperation with other offices has provided a way around the conundrum of people demanding remuneration to be taught, the sense of entitlement. The other office gives them wheat and oil, we give them lessons at the other office. So, right, not a perfect answer.
As I work on a non-formal adult education program, we're very keen to introduce principles of critical thinking to people who've learned by rote and memorization if they ever went to school. We have a party line than anyone who wants to learn can.
I'd heard the story in Kenya of a Kenyan man who enrolled in elementary school when he was old, at the time the government made it free.
I went online and found more of his story. His name was Kimani Maruge and he enrolled himself in school at the age of 84. The BBC said, "The father-of-five said he wanted to learn how to read the Bible for himself and he was also suspicious that he might not have been getting his full pension so he was also keen to study maths." He studied, even becoming prefect, until his house was burnt down in the 2008 post-election riots. He then moved to Nairobi and restarted school while living in a retirement home until he died of cancer at the age of 90 last year, short of realizing his dream to become a veterinarian.
My colleagues pass Mr. Kamani's picture around at the first lesson when they discuss "Who can learn?" The lady tailors marvel at how black his skin is and the little boys studying beside him. Kenya means nothing, maybe they've heard of Africa, but they know an old man when they see one.
If he was still alive, I would send him a letter describing these circles of Afghan women coming together and hearing his story. I think he'd get a kick out of it.
4 comments:
We all need to strive to be life-long learners... Grammie Mitchell was one and she lived to almost 102! Good for you, Hannah!
What a neat story. Thanks for vouching for me on couchsurfing! I've recently discovered that there's a very committed community of couchsurfers here who plan everything from biannual prom nights to alphabet dinners for themselves every week.
Lovely story. I always love it when the news shows a story on some older woman (or man) heading back to college. Perhaps I will finally get my doctorate when I am old. Anyone can learn!
I think that nurturing the love and joy of learning is the greatest gift a teacher can give. A science teacher, for example, may do his job if his students learn the photosynthesis equation and the periodic table, but he will have succeeded as a teacher if he gives his students the tools and interest to discover how stuff works. I believe the purpose of education is to embrace the question "Why?", harness the sense of wonder, and provide the foundation and means to answer the questions. I applaud you and your organization for emphasizing the utility and joy of learning for learning's sake.
By the way, I love that the Kenyan man is wearing the same school uniform as the boys.
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