Celebrating adult education

WINNER: Fale Lio with her Outstanding Adult Learner Award. PHOTO SUPPLIED

Remarkable adult students and tutors in Wairarapa have won accolades for their work in the classroom.

Jude McNeur, Wairarapa REAP quality community programmes co-ordinator, said the awards were made during Adult Learner's Week at a Wairarapa Awards ceremony and debate held at the Frank Cody Lounge in the Masterton Town Hall earlier this month.

An affirmative team including Liz Stevens, Lucy Cooper and Alex Paul joined battle with a negative team comprising Jean McCombie, Craig Roberts and Millie Robertson to debate the proposition "That you can teach an old dog new tricks". Adjudicator was Richard Brooks and the negative team took the day, Mrs McNeur said.

Masterton Mayor Garry Daniell and South Wairarapa Mayor Adrienne Staples helped present the awards and Stepping Up Certificates were presented to Charlie Torea, Edna Flutey, Limoe Kelly, Marion Jaro, Raelene Barlow and Rau Davidson.

There were 16 nominees for the Outstanding Adult Learners Award, including Viane Roberts, who "was working to overcome learning difficulties after a medical incident meant she could no longer continue in schooling" and Samoan community leader Fale Lio, who had been encouraging her peers to take up learning opportunities like herself in Computers in Homes and Social English, Mrs McNeur said.

There were 11 nominees for the Exceptional Adult Educators Awards and two nominees for the Innovative provider Award including Like Minds Like Mine and Wairarapa Women's Centre. The debate and awards capped a week of activities celebrating adult education in the region that had also included an Adult Continuing Education ACE Space at the Sun Court shopping area in Masterton.