A Study on Integrated Functional Adult Education Program in Pastoral Communities of Jarar Zone: Challenges and Opportunities

Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to explore opportunities and challenges of integrated functional adult education program in pastoral community of Jarar zone. To achieve the purpose; qualitative research method was employed. For this study, out of nine woredas; three woredas were selected by purposive sampling. For functional adult education centers; four centers were taken by availability sampling. In the study, a total of 97 research respondents were involved. To collect data from each respondent group's; interviews, FGD and class room observation was employed. In addition, to support the findings, documentary analysis was done. Hence, for this study purpose, both primary and secondary data were used. Analysis and interpretation of data was made by using qualitative and narrative approach. Based on the analysis, the study confirmed that; low level of relevance and quality of adult education, unavailability of appropriate organization and structure, lack of qualified facilitators, insufficient financial and material support, poor capacity of implementers, lack of adequate training materials and poor integration of efforts were major challenges of the program. Beside to the challenges, the study also identified opportunities. These were conducive policy direction at country level, practicing of literacy skills by participants, presence of TEC and university, the signing of memorandum of understanding between ministry of education and other sectors, relatively high participation of women's, the establishment of government and NGO forums were the enabling environments. Finally, the study recommended that, greater attention should be paid to the preparation of facilitators guide, teaching materials, learning materials, the region and ministry of education should revise and include life skill contents of pastoral society in the program to make the program responsive to the needs of the community, there should be strong adult education management, coordination and organization structure, the region and woreda education bureaus should stress on the need for training of implementers, the region should develop the culture of consultation with involving partner agencies and there should be a need to integrate the other components of adult education together with literacy.