Adult Literacy Classes 

Story from the Manukau Courier, December 2009

When the women graduating from McAuley High School's adult literacy programme talk about what they learned from the course they repeat one word again and again - confidence. They all come from different backgrounds and all have different reasons for starting the course. Fifteen graduated in December from the 30-week programme, which is funded by the ASB Community Trust and has been running for five years. The students attend classes and complete two hours of literacy, two hours of numeracy and two days of computer work each week. Three will go on to further their education at Manukau Institute of Technology this year. Fou Alai enrolled in the course because she wanted to be involved in her children's homework and help them with their schoolwork. Graduate Tuava Seko says her inspiration came from being laughed at for mispronouncing words and she too wanted to help her family. "I've got grandchildren and I wanted to be able to read to them at night. Maybe now I can help them and be able to correct them." Jane Ha also wanted to be able to help her sons with their homework and thought the course would help her run her Vietnamese restaurant. For Vasa Tu'ipulotu going to the computer classes was the hardest part: "The first time I went to class I was afraid to touch the computer," she says. Like most of the other graduates, Upu Schuster wanted to be more involved in her children's schooling and be able to talk to their teachers. Principal Anne Miles says the students' reading and writing skills have paid off in unexpected ways, with many graduates getting driver's licences for the first time and being able to email family and friends back home. The programme is based on the school's principle - to take people out of the barriers of poverty through education, she says. And while the focus of the course is on learning, programme co-ordinator Barbara Bishop says the women get much more out of it. "It's about the friendships they build - they are bonded together."