Participatory evaluation in adult education

Abstract

This text by Dr. Rajesh Tandon examines the challenges and issues of promoting participatory evaluation in adult education programmes. It critiques the limited concern with evaluation, which has historically been driven primarily by programme managers seeking to define programmes, assess impact, and justify resource use, and by donors facing increasing pressure to demonstrate effective utilization of aid. The text argues that this narrow focus has failed to translate into genuine concern among field educators or learners, who participate in evaluation exercises largely because they are obligated to do so rather than viewing evaluation as an integral part of their work. It identifies some threats to participatory evaluation like devaluing indigenous capacity, imposing narrow timeframes, discouraging openness, questioning, and reflection, particularly at field levels, and not promoting critical reflection and analysis. The paper concludes by stating how promoting participatory evaluation requires a major effort to demystify the concept of evaluation and create favourable conditions to make evaluation an integral part of adult education programme design and implementation.