Kakamega: Adults who missed out on formal schooling have been urged to enrol in adult education programmes as a pathway to literacy, skills development and improved livelihoods. An education officer in Kakamega Central said adult learning provides out-of-school children, youth, adults and older members of society with an opportunity to gain literacy, complete their education, acquire practical skills and improve their quality of life.
According to Kenya News Agency, Sub-County Adult Learning and Education Officer Hana Namakavuli-Ichingwa emphasized that age or past setbacks should not be a barrier to learning. Drawing from her personal experience, Namakavuli-Ichingwa shared that her journey into adult education began after working as a secretary in Nairobi for over ten years. She resigned from her job at a Nairobi-based safari firm in 2006 to pursue her calling in education, volunteering as a self-help instructor in Kiambu District for three years while studying for a Teacher's Certificate in Adult Education, examined by the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC).
Namakavuli-Ichingwa joined the Directorate of Adult Education in 2009 and was posted to Kakamega in 2010, progressing from an instructor to head of the sub-county office at Kakamega Central under the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection. She stated that the office runs three main programmes: basic literacy for learners with limited or no schooling; post-literacy programmes that build on basic skills through financial literacy, health education, digital skills, and entrepreneurship; and continuing education for learners pursuing the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE).
The officer highlighted that the sub-county office also operates a dedicated adult education desk at the Kakamega Huduma Centre, where illiterate or partially literate clients seeking government services are identified and referred to learning centres, with several success stories already recorded. She pointed out that the office relies on strong partnerships to reach learners, including the Kakamega Multipurpose Development Institute, faith-based organizations such as the Salvation Army and Landmark Baptist Church in Amalemba, and correctional facilities like the Kakamega Children's Remand Home.
Ichingwa mentioned that the office collaborates closely with the sub-county education office on registration for national examinations and with the Ministry of Interior, including the Deputy County Commissioner, chiefs, sub-chiefs, and village managers, to sensitize residents on available opportunities. She encouraged parents, youth, and elderly residents who never completed school to visit adult education centres or the Huduma Centre desk, emphasizing that learning is a lifelong, non-formal process that continues at home, in church, and in everyday life.
The officer appealed to community leaders, religious institutions, government agencies, and well-wishers to support adult education, asserting that the programme restores dignity and transforms lives. She reiterated that it is never too late to learn.