We accompanied Saba one afternoon at the Edrissis Center for Adult Education (CEPA) in Ceuta. She is a 50 year old student who was born in Morocco. Accustomed to fighting against adversity, she remains committed to her goal of earning the ESO graduate degree, earning an intermediate degree in hairdressing, and working in a profession that pleases her.
“Hungry for freedom and thirsty for dignity, coming from a patriarchal background, hardened into all sorts of adventures to advance her family (…) Saba has ‘learned to unlearn’, that is, to be open to new ways of thinking ( …). He learned from his experiences and from his mistakes. He has developed his ability to reflect and express his own opinions, thoughts and feelings,” writes Jesús Canca, his English teacher.
In adult education, the teacher is not the only facilitator, children and classmates collaborate in the process. Saba’s eldest daughter, an ESO student, helps her with her academic duties in a clear role reversal.
Peer learning is also used. One student accompanies another in mastering a subject or skill in which they are more proficient. Cognitively active learning, greater emotional balance and better social development are promoted. It facilitates understanding through emotional closeness and communication. Sharing arguments, descriptions and certain mental frameworks makes it possible to deepen the meaning and application of the new knowledge.
Jesús Canca and students from CEPA Edrissis in Ceuta JESÚS CANCA LARA
This afternoon they have two sessions of English language and two more of Spanish language and literature, each session of 50 minutes. They work in two languages (English and Spanish) other than their mother tongue Dariya in the case of Saba.
As usual, Saba is working on a project about a song in English (My Song) with two of her classmates. Jesús Canca, his English teacher, explains the purpose and process of the project to a small group of students who were unable to attend on the day of the presentation. He comments and clarifies doubts about the instructions for conducting the exercise; Available on the class blog. The rest of the students are divided into small groups and in pairs. Saba works with her partner Fatima; later he will do it with José Antonio (alleged names).
He maintains a lively dialogue with Fátima, a young woman of just over 18 who was bullied at school and dropped out last year. Fatima brings greater knowledge of the English language; for a time he attended the official language school of Ceuta. We observed a lot of activity, involvement, motivation for the task and a sense of learning progress. Fátima and Saba feel like authentic protagonists. They are aware that teaching and learning from others increases the quality of their own learning.
In the second part of the session, Saba works with José Antonio, a young man in his early 30s who wants to get his ESO graduate certificate to stay in the army. He is skilled with technology and helps using online dictionaries such as Merriam-webster and WordReference. You are looking for synonyms and antonyms of some words. We felt warmth, affection between the students and towards the teachers, an increase in confidence in the possibilities of learning and a further progress with dignity.
“There is no doubt that Saba is one of those women who today, in the 21st century, have to live under difficult circumstances in order to develop fully and gain more personal dignity. The narrowest of environments determine their lives and hinder their dreams of autonomy and freedom,” says Jesús Canca.
These students are part of the “nobody” to whom Galeano referred and which CEPA Edrissis sees as active subjects in building their own lives and necessary collaborators in a more humanized society. View of Raju Shivdasani, teacher and president of the Hindu community of Ceuta, making the video You, what mark are you leaving? The posthumous recognition by his colleagues is worth mentioning.
In the Spanish language and literature class
The class is gifted with peculiar dyes this afternoon. Gloria María Vázquez, the teacher, invited a poet to share the meaning and process of creating one of her works. The session merges with an informal educational activity organized by the Department of Communication as part of the cycle Meeting the Author, in this case María Jesús Fuentes, author of the collection of poems Hebras de una hoguera.
It’s not just about teaching poetry to students, it’s about working on the value of owning your life. A concern of particular relevance in the context of an adult centre. They wanted to highlight the problem of gender-based violence. The collection of poems by María Jesús Fuentes (also a Spanish teacher at the IES Siete Colinas in Ceuta) tells the story of the development of a woman who suffers abuse. Reading the text becomes an open door to hope.
Saba joins the rest of her classmates in commenting and reading the texts selected by the author.
“(July 28) Maybe it was me who screwed up the trip. / We planned it with so much enthusiasm. / The caravan made him a little nervous. / It was a little late and the papers for the car didn’t show up. / Rising so early to prepare lunch, and now the sandwiches and canapés roll crashing down the hill, future pasture for deer or vermin. / It gets even worse when he feels guilty on the way back”.
María Jesús Fuentes presents “Hebras de una hoguera” within the cycle “An Encounter with the Author”. Jesus Canca Lara
The collection of poems manages to move the audience, who are overwhelmed by the sense of sacrifice; lyrical language helps with this. Poetry not only resists gender violence; it becomes a tool of truth and relief. From the first stanza it invites reflection: “I never thought this would happen to me.” Carpets / One morning without asphalt. / In my range of variants / the game of unforeseen events changed: / serious illness, premature death, / vintage work, shared room, / inaccessible suburbs, slights, / competitiveness. / I fought / with the banner on my forehead / and the posthumous seal on my chest, / for mistreatment, for childhood, / for the displaced, for the disadvantaged. / But I was wrong: / the doves / fly over the banks / and the perched branches / can be poisoned”.
The work brings a hot topic to the fore. It is an example of using poetry as a teaching tool with strong pedagogical value. On the other hand, it shows the value of this mixture of learning formats (formal, non-formal and informal), which is so widespread in adult education centres.
inspirational numbers
Saba is just one example. We could further illustrate the academic life paths of Rosa, Farah, Mónica…; CEPA Edrissis students. Rosa María de Terán Guisado, with a life experience considered “inspiring” by the Spanish Service for the Internationalization of Education (SEPIE), is a student returning to ESO at the age of 42 and preparing to take the test for access prepares training cycles for a higher level, studies social integration and makes the leap to university. Now he is preparing appeals against the Ministry of Interior for the Temporary Residence Center for Immigrants in Ceuta.
After completing his studies at CEPA Edrissis, Farah Mohamed completed his vocational training and completed his internship abroad as part of the Erasmus+ program; The 42-year-old works in a tax, employment and real estate consultancy, from which he says he learns a lot. Mónica Marín: “Today I am enrolled in the higher education cycle for early childhood education. I am very much looking forward to continuing my education and with many projects in mind.” And so, a long one etc. Jesús Canca offers a glimpse of all these stories on the blog of the Electronic Platform for Adult Learning in Europe (EPALE), which he is ambassador for is the Autonomous City of Ceuta.
In 2019, SEPIE CEPA awarded Edrissis the Erasmus+ Quality Award. Jesús Canca comments: “It is a great incentive to continue working in this line with even more enthusiasm. We are very keen to continue participating in European programs and to realize their full potential.”