people and planet

12
“
Fewer than one in six countries spent more
than 0.3% of GDP on adult education
”
a coupon to attend approved non-formal education
courses and a monthly grant (European Commission/
EACEA/Eurydice, 2015b).
QUALITY
It is particularly challenging to monitor the full range
of quality dimensions for adult education. Proposed
frameworks have included aspects ranging from the
existence of certification, recognition, validation and
accreditation to the degree to which programmes target
population groups in need (e.g. Borkowsky, 2013; ICF,
2015).
Three commitments were made in the Belém
Framework for Action to foster quality in adult learning
and education. They focus on (a) curricula, learning
materials and teaching methodologies, (b) research and
knowledge management systems, and (c) training and
capacity-building for adult educators. Adult educator
preparation and professional development are used here
as an example of a system-related quality dimension.
SYSTEMS
Adult educators
LEARNERS
As part of GRALE III, three questions focused on adult
educators. Among the two-thirds of countries that
responded, 80% claimed they had pre-service education
and training for adult teachers and facilitators. However,
only 39% required pre-service qualifications to teach in all
adult education programmes. And only 29% claimed they
had sufficient capacity in their continuing, in-service
education and training programmes for adult education
teachers (UIL, 2016).
These averages provide a useful overview but are short
on detail and difficult to validate. A series of country
case studies was commissioned for the 2016 GEM Report
to provide further insights. Cambodia has established
348 Community Learning Centres to deliver multiple
programmes, including vocational skills acquisition
and income-generation initiatives, particularly in rural
areas. Community teachers receive 16 days of in-service
training provided by the provincial Department of Early
Childhood Education (Vanna, 2016).
The Jamaican Foundation for Lifelong Learning
maintains a network of 29 adult education centres with
129 adult facilitators, 65% of whom are qualified; a few
have received specialized training in areas needed to
provide relevant instruction and address learning deficits
(Cross, 2016).
SCHOOL AND CLASSROOM SETTINGS
OUTCOMES
CONTEXT
Economic, political and social conditions
In Mexico, adult education counsellors receive initial
and continuous training, including on issues such
as digital culture, written culture, worker education,
competencies in indigenous languages and updates
to National Institute of Adult Education guidelines.
Certified courses are available for further study at
various levels, while educators with a good record in
terms of enrolment or student learning are provided
with incentives, including training allowances
(Hernández Flores, 2016).
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CHAPTER 12 | TARGET 4.3 – TECHNICAL, VOCATIONAL, TERTIARY AND ADULT EDUCATION