BY VICTOR AHIUMA-YOUNG

ORGANISATION of African Trade Union Unity, OATUU, has called for a continuous workers’ education in the continent, saying education with the relevant content is a liberating process which builds the mind, equips the receiver and arms the beneficiary with tools till death.

Speaking at the launch of education programme for 10 African countries in Accra, Ghana, Secretary-General, OATUU, Owei Lakemfa, said; “Education with the relevant content, as you know, is a liberating process that builds the mind and equips the   receiver.

“Education also builds the community, institution, country or race. It is in the enlightened self interest of any society or movement such as that of trade unions, for its members to be educated. Education also makes it very difficult, if not impossible, for people to be willingly misled. For instance, if a free and compulsory education system had been in place in Africa since independence, it will be difficult for any group of persons to convince people that Western education is a sin.”

However, it is not too late for Africa, as it marks the 50th anniversary of the Organisation of African Union/African Union to collectively introduce compulsory and free education for all children under 15.

“Education is a life-long process, and anybody who stops learning is dead. In this case, we are concerned with workers’ education, and as you are quite aware, the role of the trade union is to protect, defend and promote workers’ rights and interests as well as to contribute to the socio-economic, cultural and political development of the people at national, regional and international levels.

“For workers and unions to play this noble role, they have to build their capacities and enhance their knowledge. The best way through which workers acquire knowledge and capacity to deal with their rights and interests is education, training, sensitization and any other method of sharing knowledge and building capacity.”

OATUU commenced educating workers on the continent in 1982 when, with the help of LO-TCO (Sweden), began the Pan-African Workers Education (PANAF) which initially covered six countries.

Through PANAF, education programmes are run in 16 African countries: Mali, Niger, Benin, Senegal, Cote d’Voire, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Liberia, DRC, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burkina Faso, Kenya, Guinea, Ghana and Chad.       .