A programme dubbed “Each One, Teach One” project aimed at fostering literacy and numeracy among young people will be launched shortly by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Youth Empowerment.
This is according to Presidential Advisor on Youth Empowerment Aubrey Norton who explained that the programme is aimed at training individuals who will in turn train others with the intention of eliminating illiteracy and innumeracy from the country.
“The Each One, Teach One programme is a, ‘trainer of trainers’ programme which seeks to build capacity for a core of young people, to deliver literacy and numeracy to their peers. A lot of our young people are illiterate and innumerate. Now we want to make our young people literate, we want them reading and writing, so we are piloting this programme… We are calling it “Each One, Teach One,” because when we train them, they would go out and teach other people,” the advisor explained.
He related that the “Each One, Teach One” programme is among one of the may initiatives being carried out by Office of the Presidential Advisor on Youth Empowerment, “aimed at empowering youths to become self-sufficient and develop them into productive individuals in the society.”
He explained that the programme will be targeting youths in communities such as Number 43 Village, West Coast Berbice; Kildonan Village, Corentyne, Berbice; Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice); and, Suddie, Essequibo Coast, while a special programme would be executed for hinterland youths.
“We would have to take the training programme to them rather than they coming to the training programme, so we have scheduled for July, a youth leadership training programme in the Rupununi,” he explained.
Norton revealed that at the end of this year, the programme would be reviewed and if it is found to be lacking in any area, it would be modified to make it efficient and sustainable.
The advisor further revealed that as of this weekend, Office on Youth Empowerment will commence a training project with over 60 youths in basic leadership skills including effective communication, correct meeting procedures, and the role of the secretary and treasurer.
“We have found from moving around the country that a lot of the young people have not been exposed to leadership training. What has been happening is that even when you try to form youth organisations with them, they are willing, but they do not have the skills,” Norton stated.
He further pointed out that empowering youths with such skills is important so as to ensure they can benefit from the many entrepreneurship opportunities available within and outside of the country.