Lekki Adult Literacy And Vocational Centre (LALVC) has graduated its first set of students.
The board of trustees and the facilitators of Lekki adult literacy and vocational centre in conjunction with the Lagos State Agency for Mass Education are set to launch ” kick illiteracy out of Lagos Campaign.
Pastor Tunde Netufo, the Pastor-in-Charge of RCCG Lagos Province 20 and CEO of Frontline Trust Finance Ltd, Joe Mbulu, ED and CFO of Union Bank and Mrs. Chika Idalah-AIIison, CEO of Dechimat Solutions Consulting Limited.
According to the coordinator,Mr Joe Mbulu, the vision to start the Lekki Adult Literacy and Vocational Centre (LALVC) in 2020 emanated (in the heat of Covid pandemic) from the increasing gulf in economic, social and academic class as more unemployed and uneducated/semi-educated men and women continue to migrate to the “affluent” and fast developing Lekki suburb of Lagos State.
Over the past 18 months, the vocational centre has achieved the following:
1. Incorporation of LALVC with the CAC as a Non-profit organisation with 3 funding Trustees:
2. Expansion of the pool of volunteer facilitators from 3 at the start to 17 as at April 2022. We now have a deeper and more educated pool of professionals who are dedicated in giving back through this platform.
3. Stratification of Classes into 3 from a single class of 20 students to 3 classes. This more granular stratification became necessary in addressing the broad range of academic backgrounds in the Learner population.
We now have:
* Basic 1 Class for beginners, covering primary 1 to 3 curriculum
* Basic 2 Class for primary 4 to 6 curriculum; and
* Post Basic Class covering the JSS curriculum.
4 . Introduction of a free WAEC Preparatory Programme. In our diagnostic process, we realized that within this population of “uneducated/semi-educated” is a segment of Learners who had written WAEC/GCE and failed.
In collaboration with the Lagos State Agency for Mass Education, under the immensely supportive leadership of Mrs. Kemi Kalesanwo,we set out with 25 students from a myriad of backgrounds. Our well thought-through vision is “To Restore Faulty Foundations”.
Having interviewed the Learners to better appreciate their backgrounds, especially why they missed the opportunity to learn, it became apparent to us that at the heart of closing the learning gap is a deeper understanding and appreciation of the foundational issues.
It was clear we had to “work on these foundational issues” along with the traditional adult learning process.
Having run the program for 18 months, the wisdom in this vision has become apparent. As we addressed the emotional, physical, psychological and financial gaps (to the best of our resource and human abilities), we have seen improved learning performance, emotional stability and spiritual favor.
We have seen the emergence of far more confident Learners, willing to engage the world and take their rightful place.
Pastor Tunde Netufo ( RCCG PiCP LP20) ,a member of the LALVC board of trustees recounted his story as he encourages learners and prospective learners of LALVC to “have a vision of a better you , run with the vision and persevere”.
He stated that, “When I first came to Lagos about 41years ago, I could not speak acceptable English. I was ashamed and refused to speak for the fear of being put down and laughed at.
I however did not stay long in this state. I made a choice to do something about my state. I joined the Sunday School Department because I wanted to learn how to speak well and teach others.
I vividly remember a particular day when I had the privilege of teaching in the Sunday school in the presence of some more experienced teachers and pastors. A few of the listeners mocked me and others made very nasty comments.
However, God sent me encouragers; ministers who encouraged me and pushed me to continue. With the rather embarrassing Sunday School start, I pushed myself through PRACTICE.
I remember buying the Daily Times and Daily Sketch Newspapers often and reading to myself and to an imaginary audience. I wanted to IMPROVE daily and be in a position to communicate freely.
Yes, my background might have constrained me. But, I lived out the scripture above (Phil 4:13); that I had the ability to do “all things”, including speaking English fluently and confidently.
By the grace of God, I have leveraged this ability and spoken in various continents across the world to the glory of God.”
Vision and Mission Literacy and Vocational Centre
To restore faulty foundations and provide for the less privileged adults with a second chance at life through the aquisition of basic reading and writing skills plus vocational training.
Future Goals
With a present population of 125 Learners (525% increase over our starting number) and weekly additions, we are refining our goals to
provide for the following:
1.500 Learners by 2023
2. 10 distinct classes to ensure each learner receives basic education that is, to a large extent, tailored to his/her background.
. Establishment of a Vocational Centre to cater for over 50% of Learners whose post WAEC plan is to be established in a trade or vocation. Given the varied vocational choices, we believe a partnership model, wherein the Centre develops and administers a vocational governance model that ensures graduates of the Literacy arm of LALVC transition smoothly into one of the vocational training sub-units, diligently undergoes requisite training and practicals and graduates after attaining required standards.
To make this model work, the Centre will seek to support the vocational trainers with financial or material support depending on the level of sponsorship received from the training centres or other donors.
We will also ensure that, where available, our vocational trainees attain proper trade certification.
4.Establish a scholarship scheme to cater for Learners who desire to further their education and are unable to get sponsors (preferably their present employers).
We will therefore be launching a scholarship fund to complete the work we have started in the adult literacy program.
We are very excited and privileged to be restoring foundations that have been severely damaged and instilling in our Learners the confidence to take their rightful place in society.
Partnership and Support
To partner with the Lekki Adult Literacy and Vocational Centre, please send your support to LEKKI ADULT LITERACY AND VOCATIONAL CENTRE / Union Bank PLC account number: 0175364872.
Twenty-five of them graduated on the same day that the centre matriculated about 60 learners.
Speaking at the ceremony, Coordinator and Trustee, LALVC, Joe Mbulu, said the vision to restore faulty academic foundations and to give hope to the hopeless in the society brought forth LALVC.
He noted that it is a nine-month programme certified by the Lagos State Educational board.
“When LALVC was established, we just wanted to help adults, who could not read or write. However, we have since come to realise that the vision is way bigger that just reading and writing. At the core of this mandate is the transformation of not just Learners, but the facilitators. The learners are getting transformed through the unique teaching approach adopted by LALVC.”
