| Foreword: |
Literacy
has always been regarded as an essential step
towards the process of lifelong education. Recent
efforts, mostly from developing countries, have
gone beyond defining literacy in terms of mere
ability to read and write. Literacy, to be functional,
must arouse in the individual a critical awareness
of the world around him. It must make him better
able to understand, appreciate and deal with social
realities, and thus empower him to participate
in socio-political and economic developments,
to improve, not only his quality of life, but
also that of his family and community.
Part
I of this journal issue (Literacy and Nonformal
Education: Country Reports, Vol. XV, No. 1, January
- June 1991) highlights the determined efforts
of a number of developing countries toward universal
literacy. The reports recount how programmes of
literacy have been launched to complement efforts
of policymakers, government officials as well
as non governmental organizations and institutions
toward "literacy promotion", through
both the formal and nonformal education programs.
Universal
literacy, to be realized, should not be the sole
responsibility of the formal educational system,
since experience has shown that schools alone
have not been sufficient for the task, and neither
have adult literacy programs been adequate. A
careful balance of coordinated efforts has to
be enforced to translate this aspiration into
actual literacy programs, the success of which
lies upon honest-to-goodness cooperation among
various government ministries and departments,
as well as private institutions and agencies.
But
then, as the succeeding articles show, even if
the will to eradicate illiteracy is strong, implementers
of literacy and nonformal education programs usually
have to grapple with a number of problems, sometimes
technical, sometimes political, and oftentimes
financial, to get these programs off the ground.
Sufficient numbers of teacher shave to be recruited
and adequately trained to carry out literacy programs
on a national scale; appropriate and adequate
instructional materials have to be produced and
distributed; effective and efficient mechanisms
to monitor and evaluate progress and impact of
the programs have to be installed. On top of these,
organizational, administrative and structural
concerns have to be analyzed and straightened
out to evolve a clear delineation of roles and
responsibilities.
Nevertheless,
as the articles likewise show, such issues and
concerns have not dampened the intense desire
to implement or support literacy programs. An
acute sense of urgency and an incessant yearning
for national development in many third world countries,
especially those in the Southeast Asian region,
are forces so strong that they are enough to compel
all those who have it within their means and power
to mobilize and stand united in the fight against
illiteracy.
The
SEAMEO Regional Center for Educational Innovation
and Technology joins these nations in their efforts
to bestow to every human being, a "fundamental
human right" and to equip them with the "means
to development". (CSR) |
