CALLS FOR EXPLICIT LEGISTRATIVE AND FINANCING FRAMEWORKS FOR

ADULT EDUCATION ELICIT LUKEWARM AUDIENCE; A JUSTIFICATION FOR DEBATE AND STRATEGY SHIFT?

 

Jjuuko Robert, ILALA III Graduate

 

 

INTRODUCTION

 

One wonders whether we must continue talking without being heard. As an activist and advocate of the right to learn and more-so that of disadvantaged adults and youths, I feel that we might need to reflect on the effectiveness of our current debate and strategy in wining support to adult education.

 

Legislation and Financing for Adult Education is one other sticking issue in the adult education discourse.  We are continuously making demands for clearly designated legislative and financing arrangements for Adult Education work. In many of our countries of the south, this demand sounds unserious to many public or state actors. If I could talk the language of many state or public actors in Uganda, one would cease to lament that there is inadequate legislation and funding for adult learning and education in Uganda. Ironically, some circles within the Ugandan adult education fraternity speak this language.

 

Citing several Government public policy documents, it is not uncommon to hear public leaders and administrators saying in affirmative ‘Government attaches great importance to Adult Education’. Let me, very briefly; take you through some of these documents.

 

The Constitution of the Republic of Uganda 1995

The constitution of Uganda pays great respect to everyone’s right to education as it even requires the state to devise appropriate measures to afford every citizen equal opportunity to attain the highest educational standards.  Enabling citizens to enjoy and exercise rights; fulfill their duties including their awareness and respect to the provisions of the constitution makes education an integral element in the whole process of constitutionalism and nationalism.

 

NRM Manifesto 2006 (Prosperity for All)

The National Resistance Movement (NRM) is the ruling Party that won the 2006 Presidential and Parliamentary General Elections. The National Resistance Movement Party says it works to transform Uganda from a peasant society into a modern, industrial, united and prosperous society.  The Party correctly contends (in writing not in deed) that of all the domains central to transformation, none exceeds education as it is a major component of improving the quality of life.

 

The NRM Party Manifesto entrenches community education in its transformation strategy.  The Party Manifesto envisages community empowerment supported by competent resident personnel and infrastructure for continuous learning and action at parish and sub county levels.

 

 

Government White Paper on Education

On July 29, 1987, Government of Uganda appointed the Education Policy Review Commission to inquire into the policies governing education in Uganda.  In 1992, Government responded to the views and recommendations of the Commission through the “White Paper on Education”.  The 1992 Government White Paper on Education continues to serve as the basis of official policy on matters of education planning and management.  

 

The Government White Paper on Education articulates the ideal scope of education; and the document correctly argues for democratization of education to make it accessible to all citizens without regard to one’s race, age, sex, colour and discriminatory considerations.  The White Paper makes an elaborate case and strategies for promoting non-formal and adult education.

 

Education Sector Strategic Plan (2004 – 2015)

This is the Education Sector Strategic Plan (ESSP) of Uganda’s Ministry of Education and Sports covering the fiscal years 2004/5 to 20014/15.  It succeeds the initial strategic investment plan (ESIP) of 1998-2003.   The spirit of the plan seems to embrace “Education for all Ugandans” but the specific provisions are largely inclined to formal schooling.

 

Poverty Eradication Action Plan 2004

Poverty eradication is the central objective of the Government of Uganda. As a result, the Poverty Eradication Action Plan (PEAP) provides an overall framework to guide public action to eradicate poverty.

 

Education and Training occupy a sizeable space in the PEAP Governance and Human Development pillars.  PEAP stresses education in all its forms especially the need for knowledge, skills and attitudes for socio-economic, political and cultural transformation of Uganda.

 

Plan for Modernization of Agriculture (PMA) / National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS)

The Plan for Modernization of Agriculture (PMA) aims at using modernization of agriculture as one of the main tools for poverty eradication. NAADS was created by an Act of Parliament through passage of the NAADS Act 2001 and part of the Government’s plan for Modernization of Agriculture (PMA) which is itself a key element of Uganda’s Poverty Eradication Action Plan (PEAP).  It targets the economically active poor and contributes to enhancing enterprise productivity and profitability by increasing farmer access to information, knowledge and technology (Report of the Proceedings of the Mid Term Review of NAADS 2005).

 

NAADS is comparatively well resourced programme largely providing education and training services to farmers.  Apparently this core of its mandate seems not to be very well entrenched in the implementation, monitoring and evaluation mechanisms.  Its strategy to work through private service providers needs to be examined to establish whether the preferred qualifications legible individuals or institutions include proven experience and competence in delivering education and training services to the farmers who are out-of-school youths and adults in rural communities.

 

Social Development Investment Plan  2003-08

SDIP articulates interventions and strategies that will make a difference for the poor and vulnerable groups in our country by promoting their participation. This plan is yet another commitment by Government to the realisation of social progress and improved wellbeing of all the people in the country through protected social transformation initiatives.

SDIP provides a good framework and strategies as well as activities for community empowerment and education though it seems wanting in terms of implementation mechanisms and follow-up.

 

National Adult Literacy Strategic Investment Plan (NALSIP)

NALSIP is for the expansion of the government functional adult literacy activities, scaling up of literacy work of NGOs, FBOs, donor, and other agencies to collaboratively work towards universal adult literacy and lifelong learning.

The major goal of the National Adult Literacy Strategic Investment Plan is the expansion of government Functional Adult Literacy activities, scaling up of literacy work of Non   Governmental Organizations, Faith Based Organizations, donors and others to collaboratively work towards Universal Adult and Lifelong Learning.

In NALSIP, one of the government policy choices is to clearly define the responsibility of different players. NALSIP envisages literacy’s role as a strong foundation for enabling poor communities to act more effectively in pursuit of their development goals, improving agricultural practices, enhancing family health and hygiene, increasing civic participation and overall raising of living standards.

 

SEEMS LIKE TYPICAL RHETORIC!

Despite the seemingly supportive in these and other such so-called Adult Education-related public policy frameworks, little puts a smile on the face of those with a keen interest in the growth and development of adult education in Uganda. The situation is perpetually characterized by huge promises with no commensurate actions.

 

Political Will and Commitment

There is little in terms of fiscal and legislative frameworks to demonstrate the state actors’ claimed political will and commitment to adult education service delivery by Government. The positive and useful positions in the Education White Paper, PEAP, SDIP and NRM Manifesto 2006 seem to point to some level of Government’s good intentions in regard to adult learning outside the formal school.

These positions are, however, not backed by any explicit law, comprehensive policy and budget or programme to support and regulate the growth and development of adult education. 

 

Coordination and institutional framework

Adult learning services are spread over several ministries and departments without a deliberate institutional framework to promote coordination and harmonization of efforts. There is no designated Ministry to regulate and provide professional guidance for the effective and efficient non-formal and adult education service delivery at different levels of implementation. The Ministry of Education and Sports is increasingly divesting itself of the responsibility to manage the delivery of adult education as it was reflected in the Education Bill 2006.

 

Human resource development

Of all the existing public frameworks none articulates the will and commitment for the professional development of individuals and organizations involved in the delivery of the different aspects of adult learning services under the different programmes being managed by both Government and civil society organizations. The provisions in NALSIP only attempts to address this concern by training and inducting of instructors which falls short of the greater need to train; recruit and appropriately deploy adult educators at macro and micro levels of planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of non-formal and adult education.

 

Financing

Government is incidentally making some considerable investment in programmes that are considered to be more oriented to economic development than those that are geared to the cognitive growth of the people.  NAADS affords a good example of Government’s inclination to invest in areas that are seen to have the potential for quick economic return.  But still, this is being haphazardly.

As afore-mentioned, many of the seemingly positive policy statements in the public frameworks are in reality not accompanied with budgetary provisions. Actually, according to PEAP, the identification of an area as a key human development priority does not necessary mean that spending on this area will increase.

 

Assessment, Certification and accreditation

Apart from NALSIP that postulates the development of a core curriculum and nationally accreditation framework for adult continuing education, no other public policy framework clearly acknowledges and stipulates the required measures for assessing and recognizing learning achievements of adult learners outside the formal school.  Therefore the popular demand to recognize ‘graduates or products’ of the different forms of learning such as informal skills training is not realizable using the existing frameworks.

 

Monitoring and evaluation

No Ministry or government department is assigned a key responsibility for monitoring the implementation of adult education services. None of the frameworks provides a mechanism for accountability, quality control, assessment and evaluation of efforts in a coordinated manner.

 

MUST WE SPEAK THEIR LANGUAGE?

May be! Because when you speak in their language, perhaps chances to be heard are higher. Should we continue to agitate for explicit and stand-alone or independent legislation and financing for adult education work?  Is it worth making a tactical debate shift to advocate the embedding of adult education principles and values in the public policy frameworks and programmes? Must hold onto our traditional position in the pre and post CONFINTEA VI era? It is worth area of reflection anyway?

 

May fellow participants in the Virtual Seminar share with me their thoughts?

My love to all of you friends!