Exploring Community Awareness and Attitudes towards Adult Education: Implications for Sustainable Development Goals

Abstract

The mystery of illiteracy and the lack of a long-term solution to it persist despite the enormous amount of study devoted to adult education in the fifty years after independence. In order to gauge the level of understanding and support for adult education programmes in the municipalities of Kigamboni and Temele, this research surveyed local residents. The study used a cross-sectional design and used both quantitative and qualitative techniques of research. It involved 250 participants. To measure community awareness and attitudes, quantitative data was evaluated using descriptive statistics using Likert scales. Although 58.4% of respondents were aware of adult education courses, the community's perspective of "adult education" was unclear, according to the data. Policymakers, according to the report, need to rethink the term "adult education." Community members also had a bad impression of adult education courses, which may have something to do with the fact that they were only open to those aged 19 and above. Improved community awareness and favourable attitudes towards adult education may be achieved by political commitment in decision-making, planning, budget allocation, programme execution, and administration of literacy programmes, according to the research. In addition, the Institute of Adult Education, the Ministry of Vocational Training and Education, and the Local Government should launch long-term initiatives to enrol people over the age of 19 in adult education courses.