Evolution of Global Trends in Adult Education

Evolution of Global Trends in Adult Education

Fundamental Education (1945-1964)

Literacy as a fundamental human right is one of the central tents of the covenants of Unesco in its formation. But Unesco quickly abandoned the traditional concept of literacy, referring simply to reading and writing skills as an end in itself and the term fundamental education was adopted as it served as the starting point to promote personal a\development and community progress. Fundamental education was eventually merged with the perspective of “community development”, imparting community development messages to adults (Lind and Johnston, 1990: 31-32). At the international level, with Unesco as the ideational spearhead, the values behind fundamental education as was seen to be co-terminus with community development ideals and this to be imparted through the vernaculars. Use of vernacular languages was perceived to be a more effective method of imparting values of community education.

A series of studies about the effectiveness of the use of vernacular language as medium and more effective method, sponsored by the Unesco gave rise to the realization of the need to leave it to local contexts, with respect to the language and method. Fundamental education approach was found to be a weak strategy in eradication of illiteracy or even as vehicle of community development values and ideals (Lind and Johnston, 1990: 70-71).

Functional Literacy (1965 – 1974)

The World Conference of Education Ministers on the Eradication of Illiteracy organized by Unesco at Teheran in 1965 declared that rather than an end in itself, literacy should be regarded as a way of preparing man for a social, civic and economic role that goes for beyond the limits of rudimentary literacy training, consisting merely in the teaching of reading and writing. It said that the process of learning to read and write should be made an opportunity for acquiring information that can immediately be used to improve living standards; reading and writing should lead not only to elementary general knowledge but to training for work, increased productivity, a greater participation in civil life, a better understanding of the surrounding world and should, ultimately, open the way to basic human culture (cited in NCERT, 1971: 782).

In pursuance of this, especially in developing countries, national development was viewed as more economic than social. Relieving shortages of domestic skilled manpower and equalizing economic opportunities for all citizens; training adult population to become more productive in economic development — such were the purposes of adult education. Producing skilled manpower in adequate number for various scheme of economic development, such as dams and factories – this was the purpose of adult education. It also became evident that the purpose of adult education depended on the level and type of economic development of the country – industry in the case of Western countries and rural and agricultural development in respect of third world countries.

Thus, rural development became the special focus of adult education in the 1960s in the face of impoverishment of rural areas and the need for agrarian reforms. Training the adult farmer in new techniques and attitudes and training in cooperation and management of credit. Agriculture tended to lag behind other sectors of the economic in practically all the under developed countries, but still absorbs the greater part of their population (Unesco, 1972:15-16). Spearheaded by Unesco, the Experimental World Literacy Project (EWLP) was implemented in 11 countries in Latin America, Africa and Asia.

During the decade of 1960-1970, the adult education programme was mainly geared to economic objectives. Especially in countries like India, Ceylon, Burma, etc., “the Green Revolution and the upliftment of the conditions of the peasantry” was the practical strategy in pursuance of the economic objectives of adult education. Implemented as part of the EWLP, the early success of the Farmers Functional Literacy Programme, as evident in its evaluation, pointed to the need for similar functional education programmes wherever a new technological breakthrough occurs in a economically backward country with a high agricultural potential (Unesco, 1972: 17).

A Turning Point for Literacy and the Conscientisation Approach (1975-1980)

The Declaration of Persepolis in 1975 positioned literacy as an instrument of critical consciousness-raising in relation to political, human and cultural process in general and the condition of illiterates, and leading to their liberation through a process of organization. This turning point was influenced by the assessment of the EWLP made by UNDP/Unesco and by the Freire-inspired radical pedagogical movement in the early seventies. During this period it was agreed in international discourse that functional literacy must be conceived and lead to broader objectives, set out in the programme.

The evaluations of functional literacy was critical of the approach and objectives which viewed its outcomes in narrow economic terms, and excluding women from participation in many cases of production skills taken up. It was seen as an attempt to market a pre-packaged product of literacy-linked to productive skills as the means for development and well-being. The evaluations were critical of leaving out other facets of life of individuals and selected groups from the purview of functional literacy (Lind & Johnston, 1990, 75; Unesco 1985:39).

The Conscientisation Approach to Literacy: Paul Friere was the major spokesperson positioned literacy and practice as an instrument to make it possible for the oppressed illiterates to become aware that they can change their own situation (Freire, 1972 a & b). The conscientisation approach implied that the main task of adult education is to bring about a process of critical reflection that leads to action and change. Education is seen an element in the necessary process of human liberation (Lind and Johnston, 1990: 79).

Paulo Freire did not provide any theory of how to organize a literacy project administratively nor of its evaluation. His ideas about pedagogy and training and motivation, mobilization and engagement of learners in the T-L process and the content served as the basis for emulation across the world. His influence in shaping the view and objective of literacy in the International Conference on Adult Education was unmistakable. The first nationwide Adult Education Programme in India was inspired by his views and objectives.

Mass Literacy Campaign Approach

The mass literacy campaign (MLC) approach that India adopted in 1990s was late in coming, which had a fairly good run across many different countries starting from the 1960s, through the 1970s and 80s cutting across Vietnam, China, Cuba, Nicaragua, Burma, Brazil, Tanzania and Somalia. Even while the EWLP was in full swing in the late 1960s, and Paulo Freire’s ideas were inspiring adult education programmes in many countries, and there was an attempt by Unesco to study the MLC approach (by HS Bhola, studying 8 MLCs, such as USSR, Vietnam, China, Cuba, Burma, Brazil, Tanzania and Somalia), and through an International Conference in Udaipur in 1982, and draw up a blue print for emulation of the MLC approach by many Third World countries with a heavy burden of illiteracy. The Udaipur Seminar adopted a Literacy Declaration for massive literacy efforts:

Only specific campaigns with clearly defined targets can create the sense of urgency, mobilize popular support and marshall all possible resources to sustain mass action, continuity and follow up. It is not enough merely to teach skills linked to general economic development if the poorer classes remain as exploited and disadvantaged as before. A literacy campaign must be seen as a necessary part of a national strategy for overcoming poverty and injustice (cited in Lind and Johnston, 1990: 86-87).

India did not opt for the MLC approach, but opted for Mass Programme of Functional Literacy (MPFL), using the students of schools and colleges as an additional component of their educational dimension. The MLC approach had to wait at least till the close of the 1980s.