Mr Andrews Akwasi Opong, Brong-Ahafo Regional Coordinator of Non-Formal Education Division has urged the public not to discourage persons participating in the education, so they could achieve their aims.
He noted that most often some people joined the Non-Formal Education, but later stopped because of what others say about them, and that had been a hindrance to the activities of the division.
Mr Opong was speaking at a maiden regional forum of the Division in Sunyani.
The forum, organized by the Division and attended by representatives from each district in the region, was aimed at selecting the most brilliant non-formal person in reading and writing skills, to represent the Region at the annual national competition at Dodowa in the Eastern region on the International Literacy Day, which falls on September 7.
Mr Opong stated that the previous national competitions were based only on income generated activities and participants were expected to showcase vocations such as handicrafts, grasscutter rearing, Batik tie and dye, cassava and palm oil production.
He said this year the Executives decided to introduce the reading and writing aspect to the competition to test individuals' ability to read and write to help them expand their businesses to alleviate poverty.
He said that the handicraft would equip the participants with skills that would enable every individual to learn a trade to enhance his or her living standards.
"The Non-Formal Education Division was established to educate people deprived of formal education to be able to read, write and perform arithmetic functions to help reduce poverty and illiteracy level in the country," Mr Opong stressed.
He stated that reduction of class sizes was the major problem confronting the Division in the region and called for effective collaboration among the municipal and district coordinators to help adopt measures that would help improve the situation.