Pria: Welcome to Guest Faculty Week- May 23-29, 2014

Dear Learner

I am Martha Farrell, your guest faculty for this week. I also happen to be the Director of PRIA International Academy, which runs the Online and Distance learning Programme (ODL), of which your current course is one of the 24 courses that we conduct from our Center.

In fact this programme is a classic example of lifelong learning being offered to adults. The theory of this course talks about the use of lifelong learning to contribute to

the reduction or elimination of poverty
promoting gender justice
and to the transformation of societies into more inclusive, tolerant and democratic ones

In your view do you feel that the current status of lifelong learning programmes which are developed on the premise of basic and technical education can achieve these goals?

What are some of your concerns regarding the outreach of lifelong learning in helping build the identity of individuals and a sense of confidence in their inherent abilities?

Perhaps we could have a discussion around these issues; however, if there are other issues which you would like to highlight, we could have a discussion around these as well.

I look forward to hearing your views and well as your concerns on the issues highlighted above, as well as other areas that you would like to flag.

Any experiences either positive or negative that you would like to share would be beneficial in expanding the learning of the entire group.

Looking forward to hearing from all of you.

Warm regards

Martha Farrell (Ph.D)
Director
PRIA International Academy

Dear Martha,

Dear participants,

I would like to share with you the last years' interesting Uzbekistan experience in such sphere as Government participation in supporting NGOs, including NGOs involved in Adult Education and LLL. In our country was created the Public Foundation for the Support of Nongovernmental Nonprofit Organizations and Other Civil Society Institutions under Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan. "Oliy Majlis" - is the Uzbekistan Parliament. Since the creation this Fund many NGOs and civil institutions have been supported through the provision of governmental grants and subsidies, as well as the placement of the social order. Funds allocated for the provision of public financial support for programs and projects of NGOs also strength their logistical and technical base. For example, in 2013 year 7 milliards uzbek soms were granted for different projects (approx. more than 3 millions usa dollars). It seems for me, this innovation is a good tool to ensure a balance of interests in society and interaction between state and society including Adult Education development. Are there same or other interesting experience in this field in your countries?

Thank you in advance!

With best wishes,

Irina

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Dear Irina

Thanks for this very interesting example. It seems to be providing the necessary means to non-profits to undertake their adult education programmes.

Government funding to non-profits has been a part of western democracies for many years; public resources are used to support social service programs for delivery to the poor and marginalised families.

Amongst the developing countries, India has had a long-term policy of public funding of non-profits. Its two early schemes supported village industry and social welfare projects right after independence in 1950s. Since then various government schemes in areas like education, health care, women’s empowerment and environment awareness have been added to support non-profits in their efforts towards addressing these issues.

However, the Indian experience suggests that bureaucratic and political systems gradually used such schemes to ‘control’ the non-profits in many ways. The funds are designed to make them become dependent on the government, they are allocated to those non-profits which do not question the authority of the government or the ruling regime, and this is a factor that allows corruption to set in regarding the release of funds.

Such developments therefore tend to undermine the independent functioning of non-profits, thereby weakening their relevance to society.

Therefore, please critically reflect on the long-term implications of this form of support to non-profits.

Warm regards

Martha

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Dear Martha,

Thank you very much for your opinion and comment. Yes, your critical view should be taken into account, of course. Moreover, other activities of Adult Education non profits are regulated by Government now. In the middle of November 2011 the National Adult Education Forum was held in Tashkent. Representatives of the governmental, state, nongovernmental, private and international organizations took part in this Forum. Two opinions concerning regulation of non-formal sector of Adult Education were faced. According to one point of view, non-formal Adult Education shouldn't be regulated and supervised rigidly. It leads to restriction of possibilities of nongovernmental educational institutions and even to discontinuance of their activities in the market of educational services. Quality of educational services should be regulated by the market, namely – how students of paid courses will react to decrease in quality. Representatives of the state structures objected, bringing as counterargument inadmissibility of decrease in quality of education which will occur without control, and it should worry not only students, but also the society and state as a whole. In spite of the fact that unanimity in this issue has not been reached, the brought up topic is seen to be very important for possible future discussions outside of Forum framework: on pages of mass media and during various conferences and seminars. Anyway, only dialogue at the most different levels between the various organizations is the only way to solve existing problems. In this year, September we plan to hold next Adult Education National Conference and to continue the dialog on this theme also.

Thank you again for your time, attention and recommendations!

With kind wishes,

Irina

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