L.Ncube DEO (on right) takes part in the recent Nambya Writers workshop.
The Nambya Cultural Association (NCA) / Development Organisation Trust (NDOT) conducted a training workshop for secondary school teachers in the Hwange district 28- 29 January 2013. The organisation raised its own resources that enabled it to plan and implement the training workshop at the Hwange Government Secondary School. Writers in Nambya were trained on how to produce ZJC secondary school manuscripts, poetry and literature books in preparation for the introduction of the language in the secondary school curriculum.
- Objectives
To promote the reading and writing of Nambya in secondary schools by the end of December 2013
To equip writers in Nambya with writing skills that will enable them to produce and edit manuscripts for junior certificate.
- Planned Activities for the Month: Training workshop on production and editing of manuscripts for the Zimbabwe Junior certificate in Nambya language
- Progress on the planned activities: Training workshop for writers in Nambya
Group tasks- Clockwise- Fidas; Virginia, Aaron, Christopher, Munyandi (obscured); Sharon and Clotilda Facilitaor (standing)
A total of 21 writers (11 females and 10 males) in Nambya were equipped with skills in writing and editing junior secondary manuscripts. The training was graced with the attendance of the headman and the district education officer. An official from the Ministtry of Education, CDU facilitated the training
During the training writers were exposed to various types of manuscripts.
Topics discussed were: Text book writing and layout; Poetry writing skills and themes; Novel writing skills; Presentation of plots and themes; Language usage and Language structure ; proverbs.
The participants identified sources of stories for passages that will be used in a pupil’s text book. A writer can derive his or her story by writing about issues such as natural disaster and lightning, stories of wild life and the environment, recipes and processes of preparation of traditional foods, biographies of prominent characters, road carnages, any forms of abuse, gender issues and human rights focusing on the disadvantaged, myths and lengends, historical events and other topical issues. Passages can be in the form of a simple story, dialogue, poem, folktale, processes, reports or a letter. Group tasks were used to involve writers in practical exercises. At the end of each group presentation, an opportunity to critique the presentations was conducted.
Clockwise ( Lackson; Mrs Dube, chairing; Headman Nengasha; Takoniwa;Gratel;Aaron;Bridget; Joyce & Sharon
A way forward was made whereupon writers formed two groups that would be responsible for producing form one and form two manuscripts. These should be ready by end of February 2013.
- Networking
The organization networked with the ministry of education, the ZRP, president’s office, Ministry of Labour and Social Services, Ministry of Youth and Employment Creation, and District Administrator
- Challenges
The organisation had limited financial resources as these were mobilized from its own coffers. The workshop could have been held for four days, but due to costs incurred it had to be done in two days.
- Lessons Learnt.
Egnes (standing) reporting back for her group
The engagement of the CDU official ensured that writers were equipped with relevant skills for producing school text books. It therefore means that as writers go on to writing, they will be following the ministry’s guidelines. Thus when it comes to book editing and evaluation, minor instead of major shortfalls are likely to be found. The involvement of the district education office enabled the organisation to be informed of the government statutory instruments on the teaching and writing of indigenous languages in our country.
- Planned Activities for the coming month
- Training workshops for clusters, on teaching methodologies for Nambya subject
- Outreaches in schools on cultural clubs.
REPORT by Vincent Nyoni