Shrewsbury University Centre is this March hosting a ‘tea and conversation’ event with an expert on education in Africa. Professor Lalage Bown, an academic with more than 30 years’ experience, is hosting the event in order to share her research and views on the impact of education, or lack thereof, in Africa.
Much of the professor’s research has been conducted with a clear focus on gender disparity in education, with the talk being held on International Women’s Day to emphasise this.
At 22, Professor Bown began lecturing economics and politics at the University College of the Gold Coast in Ghana. She has spent much of her subsequent career establishing and expanding university adult education programmes in Africa, particularly for women. After witnessing the effects of illiteracy during her travels, in 1990 Professor Bown undertook a groundbreaking research project on how literacy changed the life of adult women in Africa.
On her studies Professor Bown said, “I was left with the huge conviction that even the simplest acquisition of literacy can have a profoundly empowering effect personally, socially and politically. There is a huge change in women’s self-worth and confidence.”
The talk is being held on Sunday 8 March at 3.30pm; interested readers can find more information at ucshrewsbury.ac.uk/public-events.
