500+ Words Essay on Importance of Adult Education
Education is not a time-bound activity or pursuit. Both education and knowledge are an ongoing process that occurs for the entire lifetime of an individual. As the saying goes, we learn something new every day. Even formal education is not solely the privilege of children or young adults. Adult education gives mature adults the chance to learn more and hone any specific skills they wish to. Let us learn more about the importance of adult education in this essay.
Adult education consists of offering mature adults various educational options to learn new skills or develop the skills they already possess. It is the means of providing education to adults beyond the traditional school and college education we offer to them as children. Adult education can either be formal, vocational, recreational, social, etc.
Adult or Continuing Education takes a different approach than traditional school and college education. We have to take into effect, that these adults are already experienced and most likely a part of the workforce. So the curriculum and teaching methods must be adapted to take this into consideration. The importance of adult education lies in the fact that it builds on the knowledge they will already possess.
Advantages of Adult Education
The main aim and importance of adult education are to level the playing field for certain adults in the professional world. So with access to education, they have a second chance at a better career or an advancement in their current career. They can even develop new skills that will help them with their professional lives. While expanding their knowledge and skillset, they can also expand their career prospects. And such adult education also teaches the students how to put their skills and knowledge into practical use.
Another advantage of adult education is that it improves the literacy rates of the society and the country as a whole. Improving their basic literacy will allow adults to reach their full potential in their personal lives as well. So they will gain more confidence to step out of their comfort zones and explore more of the world.
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Certain Challenges of Adult Education
While we saw the advantages and the importance of adult education, we cannot ignore that there are some notable challenges that we face with the concept of adult education. The most noteworthy is that the adults have to usually balance a full-time job and career with such educational activities. They find it difficult to find the time and the energy to balance both.
At other times, the person may have full-time obligations at home as well. They find it difficult to manage all their obligations and still manage to attend classes regularly. Some adults even lack the confidence and the motivation to return to the classroom after many years. The concept seems vague and foreign to them, and they may often require a nudge to re-start their education.
Efforts taken by the Indian Government
Over the last few decades, the Government of India has started and promoted various programs for adult education and skill development. The main aim of these programs is to boost literacy rates among the backward areas of the country. Their aim has also been to boost the literacy rates of the scheduled caste, scheduled tribes, rural women and other often ignored minorities of our country. Two of the main schemes that have seen some success are the “Saakshar Bharat” scheme and the “Scheme to Support Voluntary Agencies for Adult Education and Skill Development”. The government also provides aid and help to other NGO’s that are working towards promoting adult education in our country.
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