National Curriculum Framework for Adult Education: Report of the Expert Committee

Abstract

A nation that is literate is one where its citizens are empowered to ask questions, seek information, take decisions, have equal access to education, health, livelihood, and all public institutions, participate in shaping ones realities, create knowledge, participate in the labour force with improved skills, exercise agency fearlessly and as a consequence, deepen democracy. Systems are to be in place to build a nation that builds citizenship which is truly informed and literate and in the process the content of governance, development and democracy is also vitalised. It is only when there is a credible, whole hearted and institutionalized effort on a long term basis that the learner would take the programme of adult education seriously. The first step, therefore, is to understand Adult Education Programme as a continuous and lifelong education programme. It must contain all structures and institutions from national to habitation levels, on a permanent basis, as part of the education department. The structures and processes should be receptive to the learners' needs on the ground. Compared to the model in vogue, these imperatives represent a basic transformation in the character of the programme, with pronounced permanency in learning centres for adult and continuing education in the lifelong learning perspective. This will qualify for the shift from Plan to Non-Plan phasing for planning and budgeting.