2.1 The discipline and profession of adult education
2.1.2 Origins and development of adult education
2.1.2.3 Adult education in Uganda
Modern adult education in Uganda was first associated with Christian missionaries who introduced adult education in areas of health and building as a vehicle for civilization (Atim &
Ngaka, 2004). Adult education introduced by missionaries was mainly in the form of vocational training to provide survival skills for their Christian converts (Atim & Ngaka, 2004). These efforts by Christian missionaries were continued on by the colonial government and successive governments after independence in 1962. The central theme of adult education by both Christian missionaries and government was the need to propel the needs of civilization, based on the standards of the western world, to the colonized people of Uganda. A number of policy documents and acts discussed below are meant to give a glimpse of the thinking and understanding of adult education in Uganda over time.
2.1.2.3.1 The Government white paper on Education (1992)
The white paper on education remains one of the most comprehensive Ugandan government documents, which discussed education broadly with concrete suggestions describing the way forward. In this document, government broadly recognizes the need for non-formal and adult education as a crucial component of education stressing its importance in national development.
The document also recognizes efforts of private providers of adult education and stresses the need for a policy to harmonize these efforts. The document also placed the mandate of non-
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formal and adult education under the ministry of education and sports (MoES, 1992). Mass illiteracy was identified [in the document] as one of the hindrances of national development and therefore the country was called on to marshal resources for its eradication.
One of the measures suggested for adult education was the use of formal education facilities such as buildings and human resources. Among those suggested was the formation of a national council for non-formal and adult education to spearhead the implementation of the proposals and the coordination of all efforts by various stakeholders in the country. The paper also recommended the formation of the directorate of non-formal and adult education under the ministry of education and sports, headed by a director who would also serve as secretary to the national council for non-formal and adult education.
In spite of the many proposals and recommendations for non-formal and adult education alongside continuous and lifelong learning, minimal achievements have been registered in this regard.
2.1.2.3.2 The Education Act (2006)
The education act is the supreme law on issues related to education in Uganda. The act stipulates four levels of education, that is, pre-primary education, primary education, post-primary education and training, and tertiary and university education. Adult education or life experiences are unfortunately not provided for as alternative channels through which formal qualifications can be acquired. Non-formal education centres are mentioned but in relation to children in hard to reach areas such as fishing and pastoral communities.
It can be argued that the absence or lack of mention of adult education and lifelong learning is not accidental, but a result of the ongoing negotiations concerning the mandates of the ministry of Education and Sports and that of Gender, Labour and Social Development (UGAADEN, 2012).
2.1.2.3.3 Draft Uganda National Adult Literacy Policy (May, 2012)
This has perhaps been the most fragile policy since 2002, when the first draft came into force entitled ‘Adult Learning Policy’. This was later abandoned with the argument that adult learning was broad and cut across the mandates of two ministries, that is, Education and Sports (MoES) and then Gender, Labour and Social development (MoGLSD). Although, the white paper on education (1992) had recommended the ministry of education as the home for adult education and lifelong learning, literacy and social development aspects do fall under the ambit of the MoLGSD. Around 2005-2007, another position was reached to name the policy as ‘Non-formal Policy on Adult Learning’. This title was also later abandoned for ‘Non-formal Adult Education’
around 2009. The current draft being pushed by the MoLGSD has adopted the title of ‘National Adult Literacy Policy’ (MoGLSD, 2012). All these shifts have been occasioned by the push by CSOs who feel that youth and adult education have been neglected in mainstream development planning in the country.
The ever-changing position of government on adult education and the delay to enact a policy is largely attributed to a lack of clear understanding of adult education at all levels in the country.
Government departments themselves have been struggling to agree on where adult education should be anchored. This has consequently affected funding and delivery of adult education to the deserving populace. In spite of the absence of policy on adult education, CSOs and NGOs such as EDF have been struggling to deliver adult education in the country.
2.1.2.3.4 The Uganda Vision 2040 (2013)
The government of Uganda recently came up with a national vision to act as a planning tool for the next 30 years. This vision is aimed at achieving ‘A Transformed Ugandan Society from a Peasant to a Modern and Prosperous Country within 30 years’ (NPA, 2013, p. iii). This document analyses the county’s bottlenecks and development targets but also highlights the strategies to achieve the stated goals. Key among the strategic bottlenecks mentioned include:
ideological disorientation, weak private sector, underdeveloped human resources, underdeveloped services sector and under-development of agricultural sector among others.
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While focusing on education as a key strategy towards achieving the Vision 2040, importance is placed on primary and secondary education towards realisation of literacy levels. The promotion of vocational education and practical skills at all levels of tertiary education is also mentioned. It ought to be noted therefore that adult education for people outside the formal school system remains superfluous in the vision and not even a major component of education as a strategy.
This state of affairs could too be attributed to the absence of a policy on adult and non-formal education in the country.
2.1.2.3.5 A summary of adult education policy in Uganda
As noted above, adult education in Uganda has not attracted favourable government attention in terms of planning and financing. In spite of the fact that adult education is mentioned in many government policy documents and reports, it remains the poor cousin of general education (Bananuka, 2009; Bananuka & Katahoire, 2008; MoGLSD, 2008; Okech, 2004; Schugurensky &
Myers, 2001). Furthermore, the absence of a policy framework has led to fragmented and uncoordinated efforts in adult education provision, standardization, financing and planning in general. Adult education programs are currently a ‘dead-end’ kind of system because they are not linked to the general education system of the country. This has further reduced the importance attached to adult education, as it does not lead to any kind of recognizable certification, employment opportunities and promotion in the labour market.
Currently, adult education survives largely on the efforts of a group of volunteers and NGOs, and support from a number of development partners such as DVV-International, Iceland International Development Agency (ICEIDA), United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and a number of others (Okech, 2004). These challenges are similar to those raised by Schugurensky and Myers (2001) in a report on AE policy in Latin America in the 1990s.