It has been realized by all that if we are to compete, develop, survive, the most critical resource to rely on is people's talent and energies. The concept of adult education is expanding and is not merely limited to literacy. At international level the recent report of Delors Commission- Learning : The treasure within has further expanded the framework of learning through out life and accordingly four fundamental pillars are to be constructed i.e. learning to know, learning to do, learning to be, and learning to live together. Yet most adult education focusses on learning to do-particularly how to earn a living-and, to a lesser extent, learning to know. Yet, even here, the need to train people for employment and increased productivity is far from being fully satisfied. Relatively little adult education is directed to teaching us to live together by developing the capacities for democratic participation and the skills for conflict resolution. Even less provision is devoted to learning to be : to developing the human personality in all its richness and complexity, learning to embrace our responsibilities as individuals, as members of a family and of a community, as citizens and producers and as creative and moral beings. This is an international perspective and growth of adult education in different countries has been in its own way. In India we are still struggling with poverty illiteracy, social disparities, and apathy towards participation in development by the people. Therefore, literacy & adult education in the Indian context has been more concentrating on literacy and in recent past towards post-literacy and continuing education alongwith skill development programmes. In India therefore majority of the efforts made so far have been revolving around the 3'Rs and at the most participation of learners in action oriented programmes. Recently it has been regarded as a major component of Human Resource Development as policy makers and planners have realized that development would never become self-sustaining unless it is accompanied by corresponding changes in the attitudes, values, knowledge, and skills of the people as a whole. The policy and planning on training in adult education in India has also to be analysed in this context, though the Horizons of adult education are expanding in industry due to liberalisation of economy and also development in rural sector.

If we go through the history of adult education in India and see the different documents relating to adult education then it is revealed that in adult education due emphasis and importance has been given to training strategies, programmes and policies. With the launching of National Literacy Mission, Project Formulation Guidelines were issued (refer guidelines for project formulation -TLC training strategies). These guidelines were supposed to be implemented in operationalising the Literacy and Adult Education Programme throughout the country. According to the guidelines- "the success of the campaign will depend on the volunteers, master trainers and resource persons involved. In a campaign, the numbers involved are large, and the selection and training strategy requires meticulous care at all levels. The separate strategy for training of volunteers, master trainers and resource persons is required to be worked out for literacy instruction." The working group of the Planning Commission on adult education for the Ninth Five Year Plan 1997-2002 has also emphasized the need of proper training of the functionaries in the context of literacy, post-literacy and continuing education programmes in the country and accordingly "with the expansion of literacy, post-literacy campaigns and launching of continuing education programmes, the training needs of larger number of volunteer instructors, trainers and resource persons will have to be made and other important aspects of functional literacy, skill development and empowerment are to be integrated in training modules to be designed. A large number of training programmes will have to be organized for key resource persons and senior level functionaries of states/districts to orient them about new strategies in continuing eduation programmes."

For implementation of the literacy and adult education programme in the country the involvement of Panchayat Raj functionaries with the amendment of (73th and 74th amendments to the Constitution) is very necessary and in order to involve the Panchayats in the programme as a policy matter orientation and training of Panchayat Raj functionaries has become compulsory and therefore the working group of the planning commission on adult education for 1997-2002 has made a provision as per details given below:-

* Local bodies to be given adequate orientation about the implementation of the whole programme through a number of orientation and training programmes for Panchayat functionaries in the states.

* The primary responsibility of conducting orientation and training programmes at the village, block and district level shall be of the zilla Saksharata Samitis.

* The State Resource Centres in each of the state would have to assume major responsibilities for identification of trainers and resource persons, development of comprehensive training strategies and appropriate training modules for imparting training to functionaries on a highly decentralized basis.

* The Directorates of adult education would have to closely monitor the progress in organising the training programmes for Panchayat Raj functionaries.

During the next plan the SVP's in its revised form will give priority to training requirements of neo-literates and every district will have at least one SVP. For promoting skill development programmes the main task of SVP will be to act as district level resource support agency specially in regard to organisation of vocational training and skill development programme for the neo-literates and other targets groups under the scheme of continuing education for neo-literates. These will also work as a nodal agencies for conducting various equivalency courses organised by both state as well as national open school/university.

A review of the efforts made so far in policy formulation and planning on training in adult education in India indicate that though meticulous planning has been done and concrete policy guidelines formulated but there is a lacuna in implementation of these programmes and policies at the grassroot level. Number of research and evaluation studies have been conducted of the implementation of total literacy campaign in India and these studies have revealed the following facts which need to be rectified immediately.

The weaknesses revealed by these studies are generally the following :-

1. It is not primer specific.

2. Lack of proper planning.

3. Training needs are not properly identified.

4. Appropriate training methods are not used (focus is on lecture method).

5. Lack of relevant training materials on specific aspects of TLC.

6. Proper monitoring, evaluation and documentation is not seen.

7. Number of participants are bigger in size (un-manageable number)

8. Insufficient support system for training.

9. Same training model is followed in low and high literacy areas.

10. Research in training is very poor.

11. Development of training skills are not properly attended.

These studies have also revealed some strengths of the training programme and these are :

1. Separate training programme for different cadres.

2. Rsidential training at apex level.

3. Specific materials/documents etc. are available on TLC.

4. District Administration plays an important role.

5. Decentralization of training at implementation level.

6. Training is seen as a socio-educational process.

Shri Laxmi Dhar Mishra, Ex-Director General, National Literacy Mission, in his paper entitled SHARING SOME OF THE CONCERNS OF PARTICIPATORY AND COMMUNICATIVE TRAINING IN A TOTAL LITERACY CAMPAIGN has very elaborately identified some of the concerns of training policy and its implementation in Indian condition and accordingly the volunteer after going through training process. must enable the learner to unearth or dignose the loopholes of the system and finally muster enough courage/strength and confidence to confront the perpetuators of the inequity and imbalances in the system. Every lesson in the primer must be subjected to a dialectical

analysis and training must enable the participants to think, reflect, analyse, question, and accept what is relevant and reject what is not. The curriculum and course content of training alongwith the volunteers and master trainers guide must deal with the treatment and lessons in a such a way that all aspects of a issue are analysed threadbare before the conclusions are reached in the right manner and missing link in training strategy is that despite emphasis, we have not succeeded in making training primer specific. He further elaborates the dilemna in training to bring the formal and non-formal systems closer together. The resource persons and the master trainers by majority are drawn from the formal system, while majority of the volunteers are drawn from the non-formal system. The resource persons and master trainers were largely drawn from the formal system with different attitudes approaches and insights and usually find the process of adjustment with non-formal approach extremely difficult and through training the synthesis between the two systems has to be brought about. In a natural and spontaneous manner training in this regard has also not succeeded to the desired extent. The methodology which should be participatory and as Paulo Frierie puts it -the teacher is not merely one who teaches but one who is himself taught alongwith the students. They become jointly responsible for a process in which all grow with equality freedom and spontaneity and it has generally been seen the training is mostly lecture based and is rarely based on group discussion role play and stimulation exercises. A serious omission in training is the lack of evaluation of the training as how far the skills imparted in the course of training have been internalized and put to use in the real learning situation. Follow up of training programme alongwith refresher training is also missing.

The two Indian Giants in adult education Shri Mastaq Ahmed and late Shri Satyan Maitra in their papers entitled Training of TLC personnel - some observations almost have mentioned the strengths and weaknesses mentioned above of the training programmes and policies being implemented in India at present. Shri Satyen Maitra emphasized the need of a system - approach analysis for training where properly the training needs are to be identified specifically in relation to performance and accordingly plan and design training, implement training and lastly assess the results.

On the basis of the guidelines on training policy, strategies for implementation and actual implementation at the field level, certain parametres need to be observed to make the training programmes effective and these are :-

1. The training syllabus should be stripped of all irrelevant and extraneous contents and should be related primarily to the learning/teaching materials which already have awareness, functionality and national values built into them.

2. The skill for imparting literacy in an attractive manner should be developed and upgraded. To do this, during the period of training, two or three prospective learners should be tagged to each trainee. They can later on be absorbed in the literacy centres. This would develop the art of tackling authentic illiterates which cannot be learnt in a simulated class-room situation. This practice teaching can be arranged outside the regular training hours, particularly if the training camp is residential. The use of simple audio-visual aids, particularly the letter and sentence cards should be given much more importance.

3. The training should be clearly linked to the proper utilisation of the instructor's Manual which must be prepared lesson by lesson for the TLC programme. If that is done, the trainees will have a clear understanding of the time allotted for each component of literacy.

4. The discussion which is an integral part of adult education is always given a short shrift in adult education. To counter this, how to conduct discussion on the topics which emerge from the lesson units should be clearly demonstrated to the learners. These discussion sessions based on lesson units should be planned and should not exceed, say, more than 15/20 minutes. When the topic for discussion becomes a bit technical then it is desirable that a Resource Person should be invited to give correct guidance to the learners. How to conduct an educational discussion/session should form a part of the training syllabus.

5. There should be at the end of each lesson unit, a system-approach analysis which should be undertaken by the instructor to find out whether the objectives for each lesson unit in terms of literacy and awareness have been achieved. If they fall short of that, then changes in the process and inputs should be effected. For example, more time may be needed and better use of audio-visual materials may have to be made. Most important of all, conscious effort should be made right from the first primer to open up the minds of the learners and make them more active learners than just repositories of what is being told by the instructors.

6. A strict directive should go out from the District Literacy Committees that the key Persons, Master Trainers and the Volunteer Instructors should study the Primers and the Instructor's Manual thoroughly before they come to attend the training courses. Even a comparative short training course will be much more effective if this is observed.

7. Great care should be taken in the selection of trainers and instructors as regards their competence and commitment. No political and other consideration should interfere in the selection.

8. The training of the Key Persons and Master Trainers should be the responsibility of the SRCs. Particularly if they have prepared the learning/teaching materials.

9. Training should not be confined only to the Key Persons, Master Trainers and Volunteer Teachers. The District Officials, the Panchayats the Municipal Functionaries and the Members of the District Committees should also be properly oriented to implement the programme correctly. Absence of such orientation results in different perceptions by different people which can distort the programme.

10. Training aids need to be deveoped. There is too much reliance on 'talk' and 'chalk'. Practically very little use is made of modern educational technology.

A PERSPECTIVE IN 21st CENTURY OF TRAINING AND ADULT EDUCATION

The International Conference on adult learning : a key for the 21st Century has paid attention to different dimensions and theme No. 5 of the Conference was adult learning and the changing world of work and the commitment made there need to be referred in the Indian Context also so that necessary steps are taken in the right perspective and these are :-

"In developing countries, the concern is not simply one of employment but also of ensuring secure livelihoods for all. The imporvement needed in productivity and distribution in industry, agriculture and services requires increased competencies and the development of new skills. The following commitment was made relating to work related adult learning :-

1. By ensuring that work - related adult education provides both the foundation of basic generic competencies and specific skills, thus consolidating employment, facilitating occupational mobility and improving income - generating activities;

2. By ensuring that work - related adult education policies address the needs of self-employed workers and workers in the informal economy and facilitate access for women to training in non-traditional jobs and sectors;

The Government of India, National Literacy Mission has already realized the importance of training and its proper implementation at the grassroot level and during Ninth Five Year Plan more emphasis as per working group of the Planning Commission on adult education for the Ninth Five Year Plan 1997-2002 been recommended for better and effective to training and accordingly the dimensions of training will be as given below:-

"In view of the very large number of volunteer teachers, master trainers, functionaries and resource persons involved in the literacy effort, training has been found to be one of the weakest links in effective implementation of literacy programmes. With the extension of the literacy programmes during the Ninth Five Year Plan, the number of volunteer instructors & other functionaries required to be trained under the programme is likely to increase further. Moreover, since the focus of the literacy programmes during the Ninth Five Year Plan would be on post literacy and continuing education. This would necessitate identification and mobilisation of volunteer instructors, trainers and resource persons of much higher calibre so that in addition to literacy instruction, other important aspects concerning functionality, skill development and empowerment are adequately attended to. A wide range of alternative training strategies and methodologies would, therefore, have to be worked out for imparting training to a large number of literacy personnel on a highly decentralised basis. While some State Resource Centres have during the VIII Plan attempted to develop training designs and action plans for training of functionaries for post literacy and continuing education programmes, a comprehensive training strategy and appropriate training modules would have to be prepared by the Directorate of Adult Education. With their present size and resources, the Directorate of Adult Education (Government of India) or even the State Resource Centres will not be able to meet the full training load and demand during the Ninth Five Year Plan. It would, therefore, be imperative that the DAE be adequately strengthened to undertake large scale training programmes for training of key resource persons and senior State and District level functionaries. Besides upgrading the capabilities of DAE to undertake such training programmes. DAE would also have to be enabled to identify and collaborative with other training institutions of repute and standing to meet the training needs emanating from the State and the Districts."

The Horizons of training and skill development programme during the 21st Century and coming years are going to be broadened in India also and in addition to provisions for literacy, post literacy and continuing education programme for training, we have to visualise equally the other areas also, so that through training the knowledge skills and attitudes of the target groups are increased and adult learning take place effectively. For this venture it is very important the NGO's at the national level like Indian Adult Education Association are also involved in shaping the policies and programme for the future, so that voluntary sector play an important role. The coming years are the years for life long education and continuing education for the masses for updating the skills and massive programmes of training will be needed to fulfil these needs and expectations of the people.

(i) HORIZONS OF ADULT EDUCATION EXPANDING

(a) INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE

(b) INDIAN PERSPECTIVE

(c) MAJOR COMPONENT OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

(ii) POLICY & PLANNING ON TRAINING IN ADULT EDUCATION-CONTEXTUAL.

(iii) PROJECT FORMULATION GUIDE-LINES CONTAIN TRAINING STRATEGIES.

(iv) WORKING GROUP ON ADULT EDUCATION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION EMPHASIZED THE NEED OF PROPER TRAINING AND CORCRETE PLANS FOR ORIENTATION ON NEW STRATEGIES IN C.E. PROGRAMMES.

(v) AS A POLICY MATTER ORIENTATION & TRAINING OF PANCHAYAT RAJ FUNCTIONARIES BEING TAKEN UP ON A BIG SCALE.

(vi) SRC's AND DAE AND OTHER AGENCIES ASSIGNED IMPORTANT ROLE IN TRAINING.

(vii) WEAKNESS AND STRENGTHS OF TRAINING POLICY IMPLEMENTATION - REVEALED BY RESEARCH & EVALUATION STUDIES.

(a) WEAKNESSES

1. NOT PRIMER SPECIFIC.

2. TRANSMISSION LOSS VERY HEAVY FROM TOP TO BOTTOM.

3. LACK OF PROPER PLANNING.

4. TRAINING NEEDS NOT PROPERLY IDENTIFIED.

5. LACK OF APPROPRIATE TRAINING METHODS (FOCUS ON LECTURE METHOD)

6. ADEQUATE TRAINING MATERIALS NOT AVAILABLE.

7. MONITORING EVALUATION& DOCUMENTATION OF TRAINING NOT SYSTEMATIZED.

8. PARTICIPANTS NUMBER IN TRAINING PROGRAMMES UNMANAGEABLE AND LARGE SIZE.

9. SAME TRAINING MODEL FOLLOWED IN LOW AND HIGH LITERACY AREAS.

10. RESEARCH IN METHODOLOGY INADEQUATE.

11. TRAINING NOT SKILLS ORIENTED.

(b) STRENGTHS

(i) SEPARATE TRAINING PROGRAMMES FOR EACH CADRE.

(ii) RESIDENTIAL TRAINING AT APEX LEVEL.

(iii) INVOLVEMENT OF DISTT. ADMINISTRATION.

(iv) DECENTRALIZATION OF TRAINING IN IMPLEMENTATION LEVEL.

(v) TRAINING AS A SOCIO-EDUCATIONAL PROCESS.

(viii) CERTAIN PARAMETRES FOR MAKING TRAINING IN A.E. EFFECTIVE

(i) CURRICULUM ON TRAINING FOR EACH CATEGORY OF FUNCTIONARIES BE RELATED TO TEACHING/LEARNING MATERIALS.

(ii) THE SKILLS FOR IMPARTING LITERACY SHOULD BE DEVELOPED AND UPGRADED DURING TRAINING.

(iii) INSTRUCTOR'S MANUAL PROPERLY UTILIZED.

(iv) CONDUCTING DISCUSSION IN THE CLASS -CLEARLY DEMONSTRATED AND PRACTISED.

(v) SYSTEM-APPROACH ANALYSIS ENCOURAGED IN ADULT EDUCATION.

(vi) COMPULSORY READING OF THE TEACHING/LEARNING MATERIALS DURING TRAINING.

(vii) PROPER IDENTIFICATION OF TRAINERS & INSTRUCTORS.

(viii)KEY RESOURCE PERSONS PROPERLY IDENTIFIED BY SRC's/VA's

(ix) ORIENTATION PROGRAMMES FOR EACH CATEGORY OF FUNCTIONARIES ASSOCIATED WITH LITERACY & A.E.

(x) TRAINING AIDS DEVELOPED-APPROPRIATE AND ADEQUATE.

(ix) PERSPECTIVE OF 21st CENTURY.

(a) IMPROVEMENT NEEDED IN PRODUCTIVITY BOTH IN INDUSTRY & AGRICULTURE.

(b) INCREASED COMPETENCIES AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW SKILLS.

(c) WORK RELATED ADULT EDUCATION NEEDED MORE & MORE.

(d) IN ADDITION TO GOVT., VOLUNTARY SECTOR NEED TO BE INVOLVED MORE IN DEVISING PROGRAMMES FOR UPDATING THE SKILLS OF THE ADULTS.

Contact info:

Prof. B.S. Garg, President
Indian Adult Education Association
K.C. Choudhary, General Secretary
Indian Adult Education Association
17-B, I.P. Estate, New Delhi - 110 002 INDIA