Engage Now Africa Officially Launches Literacy Campaign; Urges Gov’t To Spread Internet Connectivity

The Ghana office of Engage Now Africa (ENA), a development-focused non-governmental organisation, on August 30 launched this year’s International Literacy Day, coinciding with the official launch of its adult literacy campaign.

The launch of Engage Now Africa Literacy project at the International Press Centre in Accra is meant to officially unveil the organisaton’s relentless campaign to improve adult literacy in Ghana.

ENA, which present in Ghana and four other African countries – Sierra Leone, Namibia, Uganda and Ethiopia – has been a champion of numerous development initiatives since 2002 in a bid to help individuals, families, and communities to develop through education, provision of clean water, micro credit assistance among others.

Speaking at the simultaneous launch of ENA Literacy project and the International Literacy Day, Ghana Director of ENA, Cecilia Amankwah, urged the government to spread internet connectivity across the country and invest in adult literacy.

“For many, digital technologies provide better access to information and knowledge that used to be out of reach or costly, while facilitating the use of obtained information and knowledge. Digital technologies also enable host services – including administrative, educational, health and agricultural ones to be delivered in a more accessible efficient way,” she said.

Mrs Amankwah’s call fits into the theme for this year’s International Literacy Day, “Literacy In a Digital World”— which is slated for September 8.

International Literacy Day, celebrated annually on 8 September, is an opportunity for Governments, civil society and stakeholders to highlight improvements in world literacy rates, and reflect on the world's remaining literacy challenges.

Literacy is a key component of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals and the UN's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

ENA is operational in all ten regions of Ghana, but currently runs its adult literacy programmes in eight regions. The official launch of the literacy programme, according to Mrs Amankwah, signals moves to spread into the remaining two regions.

The ENA adult literacy project has a learner population of 5,487, comprising of 3,018 females and 2,469 males. More than 1,000 adult learners have already graduated with ENA literacy certificates.

Present at the launch of ENA Literacy project on Wednesday was Deputy Minister of Education, Barbara Ayisi, who stated government’s resolve to reducing illiteracy figures across the country.

She notes that Ghana’s socio-economic development lags behind with high illiteracy rate figures as those who can neither read nor write are unable to benefit from the opportunities presented by the digital information age.

“Government of Ghana is working through various policies to change this trend,” she said.

Deputy Greater Accra Regional Minister, Mrs Elizabeth Sackey, who delivered a short speech at the launch event lauded ENA’s efforts and promised the support by her outfit.