Change in Adult Education: the Ghanaian Perspective

written by Kate Adoo-Adeku, University of Ghana

Development in the field of Adult Education in Ghana can be said to be pos-itive and quite encouraging. This paper provides an overview of the growth of Adult Education in Ghana by giving, briefly, activities of the Institute of Adult Education in the past, and current activities including the role of some Non-governmental organizations in Adult Education and the challenges that lie ahead of adult educat-ors in Ghana.

 

The Early Beginnings of Adult Education in Ghana

The implementation of adult education programme was started by the early missionaries that came to the then Gold Coast (now Ghana) during the 19th century. Notable among these were the Basel missionaries who organised courses and Sunday schools for illiterate adults in their church. The adults both young and old were taught how to read and write. Later, vocational training courses such as carpentry and other artisenal works were exposed to the local people.

These adult education programmes continued until the mid 20th century when new dimensions were introduced into the learning process as a result of the evolution of mass education move-ment that began in the Gold Coast.

The colonial government operating in Africa began to show interest and concern about the type of education that needed to be established in the African colonies. A report of the colonial office "Advisory Committee" on education in the colonies titled "Mass Education in African Society" was carried out. This report could be said to mark the entry of the colonial government into the field of adult education in 1943. It also linked the importance of literacy to the political, social and economic lives of the people in the Gold Coast.

The enthusiasm of churches organizing adult literacy courses was sustained, and it became the main avenue through which church members learnt to read the Bible.

University-based Adult Education

The issue of promoting university-based adult education was considered in 1945 when two commissions were established in the Gold Coast. These were the Asquith and Elliott Commissions whose report stressed the need for a university-based adult education. This was picked up by the Oxford University which ex-pressed an interest to promote it in the Gold Coast.

Colonel Wigg, who was a member of the Oxford Tutorial Classes Committee, visited the Gold Coast in 1945 to study and report on army education in the country. On his return in 1946 his re-commendations were expressed in the following words:

"During my tour ... last year, I think I saw work of development which resembled adult education as we know in this country ... The experience, I record, added to general impressions gathered there by countless talks with Africans and Europeans convinced me that enormous and vigorous field of work on extension courses is ready to be developed in large centres of population in West Africa". (Col. Wigg, 1946 in Yousif 1974)

Later a visit was arranged by the Oxford Delegacy for Extra-Mural Studies (ODEMS) and so a Resident Tutor Mr. J.A. Maclean came into the country and gave a 12 week series of lectures in four regional capitals. The topic was on "Economic History and Problems". The success of these lectures laid the foundation for a university-based adult education in the Gold Coast.

 

Adult Education Movement

The year 1948 marked a turning point in the history of adult education movement in the Gold Coast. Firstly a mass education and a community Development project were launched. Under this project officers were appointed to carry out development programmes including literacy classes through which a large number of adults learnt how to read and write.

In addition, in order to sustain the adult education programme that has been set in motion the ODEMS sent David Kimble to the Gold Coast to continue the liberal adult education programme and to develop an adult education movement similar to the Workers Education programme (WEA) in Britain. David Kimble at the onset organised sessional courses for 24 weeks on "Problems of Modern Government" a topic which was appropriate, for it was during that period that nationalist agitation for Independence was at its peak.

The same year the University College of Gold Coast was established to provide degree courses in the humanities. In April that same year the Oxford Delegacy for Extra-Mural Studies was absorbed into the University College. It was made Department of Extra-Mural Studies with David Kimble as its first Director.

The People's Educational Association (PEA) was also established in 1949. this association has similar features like the WEA. It is a national, voluntary, non-sectarian, non-party political, mass education organization, which embraces adults from all walks of life. This organization provided the ordinary people in society a chance to develop their potentials through liberal education. And as John Blyth (1983) explained at the heart of English extension work was a belief that ordinary men and women should have the opportunity to reflect upon the great philosophical questions related to life. The PEA thus became a strong vehicle that the department could use to stimulate and satisfy the demands of adults for any university-based adult education programme. Branches of this organization throughout the country organized their own liberal education as well as action community development programmes that helped to change the life patterns of many people.

 

The Annual New Year and Easter Schools

The Department of Extra-Mural Studies organizes the first New Year School at Komenda in the Central region in 1949, under the theme The Komenda Village Project and Adult Education. The School has been going on continuously since that time. The most recent one was the 46th Annual New Year School which was held again in the Central region at the University of Cape Coast. It had as its theme The Family and Sustainable Environment; the previous year's School had as its theme Population and Development. Apart from these we have Easter Schools, the 1994 School had as its theme Population and the Family in Northern Ghana, as it is known the United Nations declared 1994 as the International Year of the Family. It is seen clearly that both schools normally deliberate on both National and Inter-national issues that concern the development of man and his environment.

Some Adult Education Programmes Launched in the Past

In 1951 the C.P.P. Party after winning the first general elections launched as Accelerated Development Plan for Education. Included in this plan was a national campaign to combat illiteracy and to support village and community development. These programmes were carried out by the department of Social Welfare and Community Development in the mid-1960s.

In 1952 education for Trade Unionists was organized as an experimental course for trade union and cooperative students. In 1954 a residential course was also held at the Awudome Residential Adult College (ARAC) in the Volta region on the themeThe Foundations of Gold Coast Development. In December the same year an Inter-African Seminar on Adult Education in a Changing Africa was organized at the University College of the Gold Coast at Legon. The Seminar, sponsored by UNESCO, studied the organization and problems of Adult Education and some wider problems connected with change in Africa, which form the context for educational development in Africa. One hundred and ten (110) representatives from 12 African states, five extra-Mural departments and Voluntary Organizations in adult education attended the Seminar.

 

Present Adult Education Programmes

In 1962 Workers' Colleges were established initially in six regional capitals in Ghana. These colleges were established to be the focal points of the Institute's programmes covering General Certificate of Education at both ordinary and Advanced levels. Informal lectures, symposia, workshops and non-formal educational activities like income-generating as well as Community development projects were also organized. At present all the Workers' Colleges, which are now located in all the 10 regional capitals continue to offer various formal, informal and non-formal adult education programmes, based on the needs of their clientele, in effect the colleges offer utilitarian certificated courses as well as Community Education and development programmes. These programmes are meant to assist communities in finding solutions to their problems. The Accra Workers' College in addition runs part-time degree courses for working adults in the capital.

 

The Role of Community Newspapers

In 1976 the Institute of Adult Education launched its first Community Newspaper called Kpodoga in the Volta region. Now we have others the Daworo for the Upper West Region, Kasem-Gurune Upper East Region and Enkaakyire for the Brong Ahafo Region. These community newspapers are meant to inform people, provide a forum for the ex-change of views and to promote literacy and non-formal educational programmes geared towards development. In addition these papers are also to serve as back-ups for post-literacy materials for the Institute's integrated rural and community development programmes.

Since 1992 the German Adult Education Association (DVV), which has been a major funding agency of the Institute, has developed a "learning revolving fund" which helps rural adult learning groups, particularly women, with financial assistance. Some groups of women involved in pottery in the Volta region had enjoyed this facility. Through the DVV the "Kpando Type Kiln" (KTK) is now being used by many pottery communities to fire their pottery. This new modern method helps to minimize production hazards that go with exposure to open fires while generating higher incomes. This new technique is being adopted in other regions in the country.

The Ghana Environmental Management Literacy Project

The Institute in collaboration with the Institute of Renewable Natural Resources (IRNR) of the University of Science and Technology in the Ashanti region, the Lakehead University and Con-federation College both in Canada has established an environmental management project. It is de-signed to provide technical support and to train adult educators and community leaders in natural resource and environmental management and adult literacy. This programme is operating in the Northern Sector of Ghana, where desertification has become a serious problem.

Mass Media Support for Adult Population Education Project (MMSAPE)

Furthermore, the Institute of Adult Education launched a three year project in 1993 aimed at disseminating information on family planning, AIDS and Women-in-Development and other population issues in three regions of the country. These are Volta, Upper East and Upper West regions as well as the Workers' Colleges. The project is designed to integrate population, in-formation, education and communication activities into the Institute's non-formal education programmes. It is also meant to increase the level of awareness among the youth on the importance of family planning. The project is funded by the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) with technical support provided by the John Hopkins University Centre for Communication programmes in the U.S.A.

 

The Role of NGOs in the Promotion of Adult Education in Ghana

The important role NGOs are playing in the field of adult education cannot be over-emphasized for, many NGOs in Ghana are involved with various types of adult education programmes on health, population and developmental issues. For instance FIDA (Federation of Women Lawyers) have various programmes which include legal aid programmes for women. World Vision has a series of community development programmes like the digging of water boreholes in areas where the provision of water is a serious problem, and skill training in income generating activities for women. ADRA has numerous environmental education programmes to combat the problem of desertification and deforestation which are common in the Northern part of the country.

The P.P.A.G. is an international organization that deals with population and family planning programmes. A newly formed NGO known as the African Association for Health, Environment and Development (AAHEAD) focuses its attention on health issues like reproductive rights, family life education, which includes planning, the utilization and management of environment, and income-generating activities. The programmes are organised for both rural and urban youth and adults to enable them to adjust to new social situations.

 

Distance Education

This programme, which was started by the Institute in 1970 for organising G.C.E. Ordinary level course, has now taken a new dimension. Very soon a national distance education at the tertiary level would take off. This it is hoped would help widen the access of tertiary education to qualified adults who cannot get the chance at the country's five Universities.

 

Teaching Adult Education as a Discipline

Now the Institute of Adult Education is teaching its own specialist course in Adult Education at the Certificate, Diploma, Masters and M.Phil. levels.

 

Future of Adult Education in Ghana

As we prepare towards the 21st century, the focus on adult education would be based on challenges that are facing the country. Professional courses which would enhance the competence of practitioners like agriculturalists, accountants, teachers, and religious leaders would be encouraged and sustained. programmes for upgrading the occupational skills of workers and small-scale industrialists would also be carried out.

Attention would also be focused on major problem areas dealing with health issues like maternal and child health care, family planning, teenage pregnancy, and AIDS, in effect family health issues.

Other areas that need attention include civic awareness, illiteracy and environmental management. At the moment the utilization and management of Ghana's environment have serious problems such as pollution, deforestation and desertification. These have become major national issues and therefore a big challenge to adult educators.

The illiteracy rate in the country is still high and so the Non-formal Education Division of the Ministry of Education (N.F.E.D.) is collaborating with other agencies to combat the problem of adult illiteracy in the country, these efforts would be further strengthened. The Institute of Education which is spearheading the promotion of a University-based Adult Education is not resting on its oars towards the implementation of its programmes for the betterment of our society.

We are indeed hopeful that with an efficient use of our scarce national resources we would be able to face the challenges that lie ahead of all adult educators in Ghana.