Adult Education: Who Sets the Agenda?

This paper is on how adults may learn without outsiders setting the agenda. Influenced by Paolo Friere, it advocates that the process of learning in adult education is a continuous process of reflection and action. The paper illustrates that this idea of Friere is being applied by development agencies in their projects and programmes, even by Christian evangelists in learning more about the gospel. Reflection and action connotes participation and so the paper cites three examples of participation, one of which must be avoided. For the third, the paper recommends the idea of allowing the people themselves to come out with a local agenda. In conclusion, it suggests that an agency working with adult education should not be afraid to let the people explore their own agenda and the agency should play the role of a servant, and not a master.