Non-Formal Education

Non-Formal Education

Introduced since 1975-76, NFE especially the functional literacy programme for the 15-25 age group youth and also up to 35 age group was, to provide meaningful education to especially the weaker sections of society who were denied the benefits of formal education. The programmes were to be related to the needs and aspirations of the learners. Conceptually incorporating latest thinking in the field of adult education, NFE was seen in need to form an indispensable link between life, work and learning. Since the learners are already participants in several community work and civic activities, shoulder family responsibilities and have reached certain level of experience and maturity, the content of the programme was emphasized to be appropriately designed to strengthen what they possess and provide what they do not. The significant aspect of NFE was its emphasis on locally relevant and diversified content, including science (A. Mathew, 1990).

Non-Formal Education for Women

In the states not covered under the FFLP, the earlier programmes implemented by the States continued. These included the programmes of Adult Education and Extension by University Departments of Adult Education, Non-Formal Education for 15-35 age group, as part of the larger NFE programmes, NFE for Women, Condensed courses for Women organized by Central Social Welfare Board as well as the All India Radio programmes for women and organizations of Mahila Mandal in rural areas, the Functional Literacy for Adult Women (FLAW). In FLAW, contents included: altitudinal changes to play the role as citizens, elements of health and hygiene, food and nutrition, home management and child care, civic and vocational education (SY Shah, 1999; S.C. Dutta, 1986; Anil Bordia, 1982: 13).

NAEP: Policy Perspective on Curriculum and Contents

The National Adult Education Programme (NAEP) was the first programme in adult education undertaken by the Central Government in 1978 on a national scale. The conceptual framework of NAEP was concretized by emphasizing three aspects of the content:

(a)    Literacy and numeracy, of a sufficient level, to enable the learners to continue learning further in a self-reliant manner;

(b)    Functional development wherein functionality is viewed as the role of an individual as a producer and worker, as a member of the family and as a citizen in a civic and political system; and

(c)    Social awareness, including an awareness about the impediments to development, about laws and government policies, and the need for the poor and illiterate to organize themselves for pursuit of their legitimate interests and for group action (Anil Bordia, 1982: 26).

In respect of instructional agency in NAEP, it was presumed that school teachers would mainly shoulder the responsibility of being instructors. After national level consultations, it was decided they should be not be excluded from it, but should be fully involved as instructors, as incorporated in the policy document — Outline of National Adult Education Programme. But distinct preference for utilization of young people as instructional workers was decided as policy. Prior to NAEP, designated and specific workers manned the teaching-learning task in the adult education programmes, such Social Education Organiser in Social Education, and teachers and other such functionaries in other forms of adult education programmes. In NAEP, students as well as non-student youth were preferred as Instructors, in view of their idealism and dynamic vitality in organizing development-oriented various NFE Programmes.

The implementing agency in NAEP was mainly the voluntary agencies. State governments were to step in only where none of the agencies like universities and colleges, anganwaris of ICDS Programme, NYKs, employers, PRIs were available. The implementation agencies, with government sanction, could take up any one or more of the following programmes:

(a)   Literacy with assured follow-up;

(b)   Conventional functional literacy;

(c)   Functional literacy supportive of a dominant development programme;

(d)   Literacy with learning-cum-action groups;

(e)   Literacy for conscientization and formation of organizations of the poor, as spelt out the Outline of NAEP document, and strictly in keeping with the spirit as in the Programme Outline (Anil Bordia, 1982: 18).

It was held as inconceivable that there could be a uniform programme in respect of adult education throughout the country. Therefore, in design, NAEP was to seek to combine the learning components in the various adult education programmes, including agriculture, health and hygiene and family planning, cooperatives and credit, etc., by harnessing the cooperation of the extension functionaries of those departments (Anil Bordia, 1982: 27). This was also true in respect of pedagogy.

A Catalogue of Literacy and Post-Literacy Materials was brought out by the Directorate of Adult Education, New Delhi, in 1978. The Catalogue and the actual materials as well as the new materials developed by the State Resource Centre (SRC), specially created for this programme, were put on an exhibition, exclusively organized for this purpose, in the launching ceremony of NAEP on October 2, 1978. The idea was that, based on the guidelines of Central and State Government, SRCs and DAE, the implementing agencies could adopt or adapt, or prepare new materials based on those already available (Anil Bordia, 1982: 27, 32).

From the point of view of curriculum and content as well as in terms of the society that NAEP wanted to fashion, it may be seen as a weak case, of using the content and curriculum envisioned for the conventional adult education programme, to create a society without exploitation, of equality, of empowerment to fight for their rights by the exploited, poor illiterates. The most critical break with the past for such curriculum and content perspectives, conscientisation of those engaged in design and development the content and curriculum should at least have been made a pre-condition.

With respect to the implementation of NAEP, there is a basic dearth of literature about the curriculum and contents transacted in the adult education centres. At any rate, this promising programme had to endure an unfortunate premature end within 2 years of its commencement. The understanding and perceptions of the Review Committee on NAEP in 1980 is positioned here as, perhaps, the most momentous, in respect of curriculum and content and also in respect of the vision of the resultant society, which the NAEP envisioned.

The Review of NAEP, headed by D.S. Kothari of the Education Commission fame, premised that national development comprises economic, social, political and cultural development. Over-emphasis on one facet of development leads to imbalances and aberrations. This implies that a national plan of development should include fuller employment and higher productivity, reduction of economic and social inequalities, a concerted attempt at family planning and welfare, and revitalization of our rich cultural heritage.

Like Preambles in the Constitution, these critical aspects of national development are identified and underscored so that these become the preambles for curriculum and content for the primers.

A few aspects dwelt by the Review Committee are discussed and its curriculum and content implications premised as implicit are seen here, with the premise that these continued to serve, for nearly 3 decades thereafter, at best in theory, as milestones and benchmarks for curriculum design in respect of the development perspective and the society envisioned.

Employment and Productivity

Programmes of fuller employment and higher productivity in the economy involve intensification and modernization of agriculture and allied activities and rapid industrialization. Improved productivity in agriculture and industry depends essentially on a literate and trained work-force, besides learning of new skills and upgrading of traditional ones.

Social Justice

Social Justice is proper distribution of benefits of development to reduce social inequalities and to raise the standards of living of the common people. The legal, administrative and economic measures intended to secure social justice should be strengthened by extending meaningful education to the illiterate and the neglected so that they may responsibly organize themselves in their struggle against gross social inequalities and injustices.

Family Planning

Perhaps no problem is more urgent than the containment of the population growth. The rate of the country’s development gets partially neutralized by increase in population. This was the perception in those days. The size of the family also has a bearing on the status of women and the family’s economic condition. Inclusion of population education in adult education programme would help observance of the small family norm which helps the family, and also is in the interest of the community.

Health-care

Primary health care for all is the foundation for an adequate national health service. This would need education in nutrition, sanitation, better awareness of use of indigenous remedies for common ailments and physical exercise, including yoga for physical and mental health. Health care is an important aspect of people’s education.