Beyond rhetoric Adult learning policies and practices - Overview of country policies and practices

Author: OECD Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

Source: SourceOECD Social Issues/Migration/Health, Beyond Rhetoric : Adult Learning Policies and Practices (ISBN 9264199438) , pp. 80-117(38)

Publisher: OECD - Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

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Abstract:

As part of the wider perspective of lifelong learning, adult learning has in recent years slowly begun to be mainstreamed into education and human resource policies. It is now clearly recognised as an important tool for equity and social cohesion, for economic and social development in knowledge-based societies, for reducing unemployment and skills shortages, for personal development, and for furthering citizenship and democratic values. This chapter will show that all countries visited for the thematic review have taken some type of specific policy measure targeting adult learning at the national level. These range from general action plans to increase learning opportunities for all adults, to more specific programmes designed to upgrade skills, target particular adult sub-groups of the population or increase training opportunities for those in the labour force. A number of these reforms are also geared towards improving the performance and efficiency of adult education in a more integrated approach that is learner-centred. Efforts have been made towards greater system efficiency through providing general frameworks for policy development, improving co-ordination among different (including the social) partners, rationalising existing supply, focusing on cost effectiveness, and taking greater account of individual needs. Decentralisation has been an important aspect of this process...

Page Count: 38

Document Type: Review article

Publication date: 2003-02-01