Chapter I - Adult Literacy and Education: Definition and Scope

Chapter I - Adult Literacy and Education: Definition and Scope

Definition and scope of adult literacy and education programmes have never been a settled issue. Definition of adult literacy itself, i.e., whether it should be only about levels of proficiency in the 3Rs and should also include other ‘literacies’, such as health, rights, ICT, etc., are far from settled, and depends upon the country situation in its development context. With regard to the scope of literacy and adult education, there is a world of difference in different countries between the learning opportunities provided and the life needs and interests of learners. This section, as in respect of other sections, examines the perceptions and recommendations of the Belem Framework for Action, the LIFE document, the policy formulations in India and the Indian scene in respect of definition and scope of adult literacy and education in India, and the emerging perceptions on the issue in the light of the deliberations in the National Workshop.

The Belem Framework deals with “adult learning and education” as an essential element of the right to education (Jagmohan Singh Raju, 2011[2]). It endorses the definition adopted in Hamburg Declaration in 1997: “the entire body of ongoing learning processes, formal or otherwise, whereby people regarded as adults by the society to which they belong develop their abilities, enrich their knowledge, and improve their technical or professional qualifications or turn them in a new direction to meet their own needs and those of their society” (UNESCO, 2009: 1).

The Belem Framework also goes into the scope of adult literacy, as: “the most significant foundation upon which to build comprehensive, inclusive and integrated lifelong and life-wide learning for all young people and adults.” Given the magnitude of the global literacy challenge, the Framework deems it vital to redouble the “efforts to ensure that existing adult literacy goals and priorities, as enshrined in Education for All (EFA), the United Nations Literacy Decade (UNLD) and the Literacy Initiative for Empowerment (LIFE), are achieved by all means possible.” The Framework also lays emphasis to “recognize literacy as a continuum”, and for planning and implementing continuing education, training and skills development beyond the basic literacy skills, supported by an enriched literate environment (UNESCO, 2009: 1-2).

The LIFE document defines literacy as the “competencies in reading, writing and numeracy and life skills”. LIFE positions it as an Initiative not only to promote these competencies, but also to substantially increase literacy learning opportunities, beyond the basic literacy level (UNESCO, 2006: 11).

The LIFE document also refers to the scope of literacy, i.e., what it can and should lead to. It views literacy as an: “indispensable means” for effective social and economic participation, contributing to human development and poverty reduction.” LIFE is convinced that, “literacy empowers and nurtures inclusive societies and contributes to the fair implementation of human rights. In the case of mothers, literacy leads to an enhanced quality of life for their families and improved education outcomes for their children” (UNESCO, 2006: 11).

LIFE also talks of promoting: (i) Integration of literacy with various issues including income generation, entrepreneurial training linked with access to micro credit, reproductive health care, and civics and HIV/AIDS prevention; (ii) Life skills, use of applied/appropriate technology, including ICTs, creation of reading spaces and resource, and popularization of science and technology in rural areas; and (iii) Opportunities across the continuum of literacy, post-literacy and continuing education within the framework of lifelong learning (UNESCO, 2006, 27).

Definition of Adult Literacy and Adult Education in India

The Education Commission (1964-66) viewed that the scope of adult education is as wide as life itself. It noted that “one of the major planks in the strategy of a society which is determined to achieve economic development, social transformation and effective social security should be to educate its citizens to participate in its developmental programmes willingly, intelligently and efficiently.” It stated that the function of adult education in a democracy is to provide every adult citizen with an opportunity for education of the type which he wishes and which he should have for his personal enrichment, professional advancement and effective participation in social and political life (NCERT, 1971: 778).

National Policy on Education (NPE), 1986 locates Adult Education in the mainstream educational system. Highlighting the importance of Adult Education, the NPE observes, “Our ancient scriptures define education as that which liberates i.e., provides the instruments for liberation from ignorance and oppression.  In the modern world, it would naturally include the ability to read and write, since that is the modern world, it would naturally include the ability to read and write, since that is the main instrument of learning. Hence, the crucial importance of adult education, including adult literacy.” The NPE expects literacy (adult education) to facilitate accomplishment of “national goals such as alleviation of poverty, national integration, environmental conservation, observance of the small family norm, promotion of women’s equality, universalisation of primary education, basic health-care, etc.  It will also facilitate energisation of the cultural creativity of the people and their active participation in development processes” (MHRD, 1986: 5).

In respect of its scope, NPE states that “comprehensive programmes of post-literacy and continuing education will be provided for neo-literates and youth, who have received primary education, with a view to enabling them to retain and upgrade their literacy skills, and to harness it for the improvement of their living and working condition.”  These programmes, according to NPE would inter alia include:

1. Establishment of continuing education centres of diverse kind to enable adults to continue their education of their choice;
2. Workers’ education through the employers, trade unions and government;
3. Wider promotion of books, libraries and reading rooms;
4. Use of radio, TV and films – as mass as well as group learning media;
5. Creation of learners’ groups and organizations; and
6. Programmes of distance learning (MHRD, 1986: 9-10).

Lastly, NPE recognizes “that a critical development issue today is the continuous upgradation of skills so as to produce manpower resources of the kind and the number required by the society.  The special emphasis will, therefore be, laid on organization of employment/self-employment oriented and need and interest based vocational and skill training programmes” (MHRD, 1986: 9).

Consistency of Definitions

It is often said that there are frameworks and declarations on adult learning and education, yet there is a lack of agreement on the definition, scope and focus of adult education activities. Rather, concepts on adult learning and education are contextualized according to the needs, historical discourse and shifts in paradigms in a particular country. For example, in high-income and middle-income countries such as Thailand, where adult learning and education is well established and where there is a coherent policy with responsibility for the government and others indicated, the concepts are well-defined and focused. However, in many other countries the definitions, concepts and scope of adult education and learning are not well articulated. Overall, the experiences and records of Asian countries in this regard suggest that, rather than focus on international consistency and uniformity, it would be more appropriate, to concentrate on developing contextualized, endogenous concepts and definitions to design and guide adult literacy and education programmes.

In India literacy is the principal format of adult education. As a sequel to the NPE’s Programme of Action (1986), the National Literacy Mission (NLM) was launched in 1988, with the aim of imparting functional literacy to 80 million adults in the 15-35 age group by 1995 (GOI, 1986: 135). It started with a mass campaign approach, known as the Total Literacy Campaign (TLC), but had evolved into a massive programme of adult education.

The NLM conceived literacy as an active and potent instrument of change and for the creation of a learning society. Functional literacy was defined as: (i) Achieving self-reliance in literacy and numeracy; (ii) Becoming aware of the causes of their own deprivation and ways of overcoming their condition through organization, and participation in the process of development; (iii) Acquiring skills to improve economic status and general well-being; and (iv) Adopting the values of national integration, environmental conservation, women’s equality and observance of small-family norms.

As proposed in the National Policy on Education (Revised 1992), NLM combined Post-Literacy and Continuing Education (PL & CE) activities in order to consolidate and improve functional literacy skills of neo-literates (MHRD, 1996: 25). The Post-Literacy Campaigns had three broad learning objectives – remediation, continuation and application. A scheme of Continuing Education, distinct from the previous PL & CE, was launched by NLM in 1997, to provide learning opportunities to neo-literates on a continuing basis and to reinforce and widen the literacy skills for personal, social and economic improvement. The Continuing Education Centre (CEC), the main delivery point of CE programmes, looked after by a Prerak (Animator), was meant to be a community-based centre with a library and reading room, besides being an information window and a centre of charcha mandal, sports and recreational activities and other life skill programmes (GOI, 1998).

New Perspective

The Saakshar Bharat Programme (SBP) views literacy as a continuum with Basic Education (Equivalency), Skill Development and Continuing Education, beyond the basic literacy stage, and as an interrupted continuum. This revamped adult education system, as envisaged in the Saakshar Bharat Programme, should provide opportunities to meet the learning needs of any type including functional literacy, basic education, higher education, vocational education, physical and emotional development, arts, culture, sports and recreation. Such opportunities of learning should be for all adults, disadvantaged and advantaged, in the age group of 15 years and above who missed the opportunity of formal education as well as all adults who wish to learn outside the formal system of education. Adult Education should be seamlessly integrated with formal education system for horizontal and vertical migration by establishing equivalency frameworks to facilitate credit transfer among formal, non-formal and informal education.