Bhutan bagged the UNESCO Confucius Prize for literacy in Paris, France on Thursday. The Prize was awarded for empowering more than 160,000 people to read and write in the last two decades through Non-Formal Education (NFE). As Bhutan marked the International Literacy Day on Saturday, our reporter, Yeshey Tshokey, looks at how the programme has transformed and inspired so many people.
It is never too late to learn and gain wisdom. This is what inspired 40-year-old Sangay Wangmo. Sangay Wangmo is a mother of two. She is one of the many NFE learners in the country.
Sangay Wangmo always wanted to read and write but her parents could not afford to send her to school. But now her dreams have come true. Barely a month old since she enrolled herself for NFE classes, she has already learned how to write her name and can read signs in Dzongkhag.
She says it has always been difficult for her to get any work done with no education. “I am happy now,” she puts in simply.
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Sangay’s teacher, Pema Lhaden, says Sangay Wangmo is a fast learner. She says it has all to do with interest. “Sangay Wangmo is keen in learning.”
Sangay Wangmo says even though she finds reading easy, writing still is difficult for her. “It may be because of my age.”
Once back at home, she finds time to rehearse what she learnt back in the class. Her 15 year old son also helps her.
But this method of education system is not without challenges. The Deputy Chief Programme Officer, Ugyen Tshomo, says there are small pockets of communities which are yet to be covered under the NFE program. The other challenge is to persuade the students to continue with the education. “Although we have a good number of enrollments in the beginning, about 20 percent of them drop out during the later part of the course.” She says it could be because most of the learners are women. “They have many other commitments and it is hard for them to find time.”
From five NFE centers and 300 learners when the programme first started in 1992, Bhutan has 953 centres across the country with the enrollment of about 13,000 learners today.
