SOME BASIC ELEMENT IN THE PRACTICE OF ADULT EDUCATION.

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THE CHARACTERISTICS OF ADULT EDUCATION.

The following could be regarded as some of the characteristics of adult education.
(1) Continuing education
(2) Remedial in nature
(3) Open and distance
(4) Common programme (e.g community oriented programme)
(5) Values in nature .
Education for workers for example needs to be on a continuing basis, either as on-the-job training or in-service training or study leave process or leave of absence.
Others include ; remedial education, Liberal education, extension service ,prison education and host of others.

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CLIENTELE OF ADULT EDUCATION

The clientele of adult education are the participants of the programme. It includes the following people ;
(1) People who have never been to the school
(2) People who dropped out of and later plan to 'drop in'
(3) People on part-time programme
(4) Formal adult education students.
In most cases, adult education is voluntary by nature , meaning that you cannot be forced into it expect, on self- initiative.
Law of the land may not necessarily enforce education of adult nature .
Education of this nature should be by persuasion through subtle approaches. This type of method of teaching that is engaged in teaching of adult is called "Andragogy" while it's opposite is "Pedagogy" , i.e the arts and science of teaching the pupils.
Teaching by nature is an intricate activity involving human beings in quest for acquisition of knowledge. Before teaching can take place, there must be learners and instructor(s).
Teaching from the professional point of view is the process done intentionally with the hope of having result. This may be through the formal ,non-formal and informal processes .
Teaching in the formal process is a straightforward exercise that is believed to be carried out within the four walls of classroom , where the facilitator and learners will be physically present.
This is not necessarily so in the non-formal process.
Hence, learning can take place without the physical presence of the teacher and the learners and not necessarily within the four walls of the classroom.

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ADULT EDUCATION AGENCIES

In the field of education generally, the finance and the funding is not only the responsibility of the legally constituted body such as government. This is also applicable to the field of Adult education. Several agencies like, non-governmental organisations (NGO), Philanthropists , International organisations,Religious bodies are also included in the running of the programme,through the provision of knowledges and skills to the clientele that are interested in personal development and occupational or career growth through courses like ; adult literacy,community education, mechanics ,blacksmiths, agriculture and so on.
Some of the meeting vanues are conferences, on-the-job centers, in- service training centers, seminars, workshops, government information centers, community meeting centers, evening coaching and weekend centers ,correspondence courses, distance learning courses etc.

ADULT EDUCATION INTERNAL AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANS.

These are the organs that are assisting the promotion of adult education programme by providing funds, materials, supporting staff,logistic materials for the promotion of adult education. In the contemporary development of adult education in Nigeria, various Non-governmental organisation (NGOs) have been contributing a lot and in diverse form. It is interesting to note that in various state in Nigeria ,today ,most of the rehabilitating homes , handicapped centers ,institutions and welfare centers are being coordinated and funded by the state government.
Non-formal education is giving to the needy at these centers. For example, at the handicapped centers, adequate skills are giving to the less privileged in order to make them become self-reliant economically.
Some classes of international agencies enter into bilateral technical and cultural co-operations.
The United Nation organisation through its agencies like, UNESCO ,ILO,UNICEF ,IFO and so on provide materials, funds and logistic support, towards social projects in form of health education, mass literacy campaign, community development education, legal education for the purpose of promoting adult literacy education around the world.

VALUE OF ADULT EDUCATION

Value is determined by what, how and why an individual appreciates a given entity. An entity is valuable when an individual or group of individuals or society attaches importance to it. Attributing values to anything signifies the fact that such a thing is useful . Adult education judging from its scope and importance as given above portrays that it has an indispensible value.