ADULT EDUCATION
Need for Adult Education 3.1. It is estimated that 230 millions of our adult population are illiterate. These form mostly the poorest and the most neglected sections of the nation. Their contribution to national well-being could be far greater than it is, if they received some education. Their condition is such that they are not able to take advantage of the benefits available to them under the development plans and continue to be exposed to exploitation and social disabilities. The nation should deem it its solemn duty to impart education to them. The National Adult Education Programme, which has been organised, should be implemented with urgency and sustained vigour. The immediate target should be to educate under this programme 100 millions in a period of five years so that universal literacy becomes a reality in our country within the shortest possible time.
Concept The Adult Education Programme should mean not only acquisition of literacy and numeracy, but also functional development and social awareness with a view to cultivating the habit of self-education.
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Revised Minimum Need Programme 3.2. Adult Education is an integral part of the Revised Minimum Needs Programme (RMNP) whose thrust is (a) to reach to the poor people, (b) to coordinate all such programmes with developmental departments, and (c) to integrate them with area planning. The RMNP programmes, including Adult Education, cannot be the sole
responsibility of one Ministry, department or agency.
Agencies 3.3. Since this massive programme stipulates a large investment, its operational content has to be carefully worked out. The most important point to be kept in view is that the programme is community- oriented. Agencies and instruments for this programme have to be so identified that the maximum interaction takes place between the local community and the Government.
3.4. The programme will be conducted through multiple agencies with precedence to voluntary agencies in so far as they are available. The involvement of teachers, students, trade, industry, youth and women organisations, social workers, developmental departments, municipalities, panchayats and other local bodies will be ensured right from the beginning.
Emphasis on Rural Areas 3.5. Since the real problem of adult illiteracy exists in the rural areas, special efforts will have to be made to involve the rural community and the teachers in the rural areas to conduct this programme. A special effort should be made to activise Mahila, Mandals and Youth Organisations. Some input from the community would be desirable to make it a continuing programme.
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Women Instructors 3.6. Since the programme is not only meant for removing illiteracy alone but its aim is also to create awarness about other problems, it would be desirable that such programmes as family planning, health and nutrition, child and mother care should ,be built into this programme. For this it would be desirable that the newly appointed instructors for this programme should be women as far as is possible.
Skill Development 3.7. Besides removing illiteracy and creating awareness, adult education programme has to have some developmental content. It should also aim at improving the skills of the targeted groups so that their productivity can be improved. For this, institutions of vocational education should be pressed into service.
Post Literacy Programmes 3.8. The adult education programme should include measures for continuing education to sustain the interest of those adults who have taken advantage of it and to enable them to develop knowledge and skills on their own. These measures would include low-priced books and literature, village libraries, material put out through the mass media etc. The development of a rural library system is necessary to
support the programme of continuing education.