The Scientology Volunteer Ministers African Goodwill Tour is working with educators, NGOs, and other concerned groups in Zambia to improve conditions in that country, a task that is urgent in light of the economic and social conditions Zambians face, some 68% of whom live below the poverty line where the average per capita income is $395. Not only is Zambia one of the world's poorest countries, but the life expectancy is also one of the lowest on earth—less than 40 years, with nearly a million people living with HIV/AIDS.
 | The Scientology Volunteer Ministers Goodwill Tour provided a series of workshops on the technology of study for teachers and staff of the Kitwe College of Education. |
As with Goodwill Tours in other countries, the Scientology Volunteer Ministers in Zambia meet with local officials, community and religious leaders and NGOs in every city they visit to find out what service they need most. Many Zambians feel that one of the most important things to improve on an immediate basis is education and literacy. These are the vital components in broadening the economic base of the country, which until recently relied almost exclusively on copper mining. Although 80% of the population above the age of 15 can read and write, most do not have the level of literacy needed for technical or service positions.
In Kitwe, the third-largest city in Zambia, the Scientology Volunteer Ministers met with representatives of the Kitwe College of Education, who were eager to have a series of workshops for teachers and staff of the college. The Scientology Volunteer Ministers used a section of the Scientology Handbook called The Technology of Study as the basis for the workshop.
The Scientology Handbook is based on the works of Scientology founder, L. Ron Hubbard, who directed that it be compiled in the mid-1970s. Seeing the general decline of morality and spirituality in the West, Mr. Hubbard created the Scientology Volunteer Ministers Program at that time, stating, "If one does not like the crime, cruelty, injustice and violence of this society, he can do something about it. He can become a Volunteer Minister and help civilize it, bring it conscience and kindness and love and freedom from travail by instilling into it trust, decency, honesty and tolerance." The motto of the Scientology Volunteer Ministers is "Something CAN be done about it," and this optimism is based on the fact that the chapters of the Scientology Handbook put solutions into one's hands to be able to take any unwanted condition one encounters and improve it.
One of the chapters of the Scientology Handbook is called "the Technology of Study." In the course of training Scientology auditors (auditor means one who listens, from the Latin audire meaning "to hear or listen." An auditor is a person trained and qualified in applying auditing, Scientology spiritual counseling, to individuals for their betterment) Mr. Hubbard discovered the basic laws of learning and literacy. These apply not only to the training of professional Scientologists, but to any student learning about any subject or area or life.
"I have learned a lot about how you can study and go about it easily without any problems," said one of the students who completed the workshop at the Kitwe College of Education. "In order for someone to understand what he or she is teaching or studying he has to follow the right steps as in the technology of study. As a teacher you can identify or know if your pupils are getting what you are teaching them by carefully looking at them and identifying their problems," said another.
This material, which is also available online in a free course through the Scientology Volunteer Ministers web site, outlines three important factors Mr. Hubbard discovered that act as barriers to study. It is very simple to learn these and overcome them as a student or a teacher.
 | At the Kitwe College of Education in Zambia, teachers and staff learned practical skills they can use to help their students with literacy and the ability to apply what they have learned. |
One teacher pointed out that her purpose as an educator was to help students "to study in order to know and apply and not just for passing exams," and that these techniques gave her the information she needed to accomplish this. "I have learned a lot of things like the three major barriers to study. I should admit that if all of us had the right approach to study there will be a lot of difference and everyone would approach study with a positive mind," said another teacher.
One of the attendees described the workshop as "an enlightenment and mind opener to learning." "I have benefited in this workshop especially on how to help pupils have meaningful study during their learning process," said another teacher, and yet another said, "The workshop has been very helpful. It's amazing how many things we overlook though small have a great influence on our study areas."
For more information on the Volunteer Ministers online training visit the Scientology Volunteer Ministers web site or contact the Volunteer Ministers Consultant at
vm@volunteerministers.org
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