Prospects for Adult Education and Development in Asia and the Pacific. Report of a Regional Seminar (Bangkok, November 24-December 4, 1980).

Overview & Synopsis

Adult education and the economic development of the countries of Asia and the Pacific was discussed at a UNESCO conference held in Bangkok in November-December, 1980. The conference was opened by Raja Roy Singh, who emphasized the crucial significance of adult education in national development. He said that development is no longer construed only in economic terms but is increasingly seen also in the light of political, moral, social, and cultural advancement. Conference delegates discussed the state of adult education in each of the countries represented. During the conference, delegates reached the following conclusions: (1) to play an effective role in the process of development, adult education requires realistic aims, top-level support, clear planning and strategies, integration and extension into all levels of government and life; (2) adult education's importance must be more widely realized or economic development will fail; (3) recently, there has been a trend among the countries of the region to enhance the quality and quantity of adult education; (4) adult education must develop programs to reduce the differences between the haves and the have-nots in society, making available the skills and knowledge that enable people to become active partners in development and to improve their circumstances. Recommendations flowing from the conference included there be more research on how adult education can aid development; that countries make education public policy and give it resources; that education be not solely for literacy; that formal education and adult education be complementary. (KC)