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Africa Subsaharan
Police officers receive literacy training
2006-01-30
About 3 000 members of the South African Police Service who could previously not read and write have completed literacy training.

Ben Smit, managing director of Secudac, a private company which provided the training said on Monday that the officers also acquired life skills during the six months Adult-Based Education and Training programme.

"Some 230 facilitators were used to provide this training course which, besides basic literacy and numeracy, also focused on life skill aspects such as HIV/Aids awareness, community and personal relations, social care and health issues, family planning, gender sensitivity, communication skills and financial management," Smit said.

Numerancy....? Is that what I think it is?

"They can now read the newspaper, plan their budgets, read a stop sign and on a personal level, read the Bible and letters from their children and grandchildren." Police officers, support staff and administrative personnel all received training, the entire illiterate lot.

Most of them were exposed to formal education for the first time since turning in their Kalashnikovs. "They have been exceptionally positive towards this training course, with learners travelling as far as 100km per day to attend classes. Most of them are now motivated to undergo more training programmes," Smit said.

The certification ceremonies will be held from February 13 to March 7, 2006 in Middelburg, Potchefstroom, Pretoria, Durban, Polokwane, Bloemfontein, Kimberley, Cape Town, Oudtshoorn, Paarl and Port Elizabeth. - Sapa

Mayor Ray Nagin, please take note. There does appear to be hope for the NOPD.
Posted by:Graiger Thavimp9889

#4  We should encourage programs like this around the world, at least in friendly countries. Illiteracy is almost painful, and certainly frustrating, even in 3rd and 4th world countries.

Police officers that can read are far more valuable than illiterates, and interestingly, far less prone to abusing civil rights in their country. Paperwork can often prove innocence.
Posted by: Anonymoose   2006-01-30 18:48  

#3   It's nothing to do with black magic.
Yeah that's calculacy.
Posted by: 6   2006-01-30 17:27  

#2  Numbers I thought. Thanks TW.
Posted by: Besoeker   2006-01-30 16:56  

#1  Numeracy is the ability to read and manipulate numbers, analogous to literacy, the ability to read words. It's nothing to do with black magic.
Posted by: trailing wife   2006-01-30 16:16  

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