Adult education has been practised in Uganda in various forms, perhaps since humans first inhabited the land; but very little has been written about it. It is therefore difficult to find relevant materials to use in the study of education in Uganda. Makerere University has been engaged in adult education since 1953, and so celebrated fifty years of its existence and service in 2003. This book is published in commemoration of this achievement. Its objectives are to document the development of adult education in Uganda, establish a base for further specialised study on adult education, provide a teaching resource for the study of adult and community education and pave the way for future adult education work. As a critical review and reflection on salient aspects and issues of adult education, including on the relative merits and disadvantages of indigenous and colonial languages as media for adult education, it is the first publication of its kind in Uganda.

The policy of the World Bank has been to focus on universal primary education, rather than supporting adult literacy programmes. But slow progress in Sub-Saharan Africa has convinced the Bank that adult literacy, especially amongst women, is a key factor in promoting economic and social development. This study of programmes in Uganda shows that adult literacy programmes can be more effective than was previously thought; that government run programmes can be as effective as those run by non-governmental organisations and that there is a large, unsatisfied demand among Ugandan adults for more education.

The note summarizes a 1999 evaluation of adult literacy programs in Uganda, which looked at the longer-term outcomes of these programs. Four main questions were addressed: How well do adult literacy students remember how to read, write, and calculate? To what extent do they use their skills? Compared with non-literates, what knowledge of "functional" topics do they exhibit, and to what extent do they practice what was learnt? Which are the most effective approaches to literacy teaching, and what are the comparative costs? Some questions were left open, such as the treatment of literacy instructors, which engenders uncertainty towards policy formation, and, the balance to be sought between general, national curriculum, and an array of curricula tailored to suit different interest groups. Evident signals seemed to confirm the importance of reliable delivery of sound instruction, rather than methods, and materials, and, as for policy, the strong signal is that frameworks to encourage active, complementary partnerships between governments, and agencies, would best serve the people who could benefit from adult basic education. Thus, there is an impending need to develop ways of combining basic education in a vernacular introduction, to an official language.

This book presents key concepts, information and principles that should underlie the practice of adult education in African contexts. It assumes that adult educators should have a historical perspective on the current educational context, understand how the colonial experience has impacted on indigenous traditions and be aware of the philosophical underpinnings of adult education activities. The chapters introduce the foundations and history of adult education in Africa; philosophy and adult education; socio-cultural, political and economic environments; opportunities and access for adult learners; gender and development in adult education; adult education as a developing profession; information and communication technology; globalization and adult education; and policies and structures of lifelong learning

This book examines how adult education is influenced by and has an influence on the society in which it takes place. It presents a clear analysis of the development challenges and sociological realities of the adult education context and explores the potential of adult education to help African countries and communities achieve their developmental goals. Issues discussed include: adult education, social change and development; community education; race, ethnicity and religion; social class and gender; empowerment; democracy; health and HIV/AIDS; poverty and debt; globalisation and the environment.