Transforming the Educational Approach from Youth to Lifelong Experience
On July 1-2, Rooms Tbilisi Hotel hosted the Festival of Adult Education 2016, organized by German Association International Cooperation Institute, DVV International. Its aim was to raise awareness and help society realize the main conception of the occasion – “Learning throughout Life.”
Georgia’s aspiration to integration into the united European Educational space presents a number of new challenges to the educational politics of the country, highlighting the importance of raising the level of education while we are alive. “If in the past, we were accustomed to the fact that education is only associated with youth, now, we have to realize that it is a lifelong process,” said Alexander Jejelava, Georgian Minister of Education. “Moreover, adults are much more motivated, having well realized what they lacked and thirsty to keep up-to-date with new skills now to get employed. ” The Minister went on to express his belief in adult education, remembering his long service in the training system, saying that adult education can give very prompt results.
Matthias Klingenberg, Regional Director of Caucasus, Turkey and South-Eastern Europe, stated: “Sometimes I ask myself why it is so important to advocate life-long learning and adult education and is not it more important to teach children sufficiently at school? These questions can be heard in the EU, Georgia, and elsewhere. There is a cluster of answers. I think that now is problematic for the EU. Therefore, adult education is even more important. When I think of answers, the recent terror attacks in Ataturk Airport, Istanbul, and Brexit come to my mind. The exit of Great Britain from the EU as a result of the referendum is a nice example of what adult education could have changed. The Brits did not really understand what the consequences of the Leave would be, because they just trusted social media. That showed that civic education is lacking in Europe. It taught us how politics can be manipulated by different kinds of media. Therefore, this festival is very important to say once again that it is never late to learn. I am convinced that these festivals are important not only for Georgia and this region, but for the EU itself.”
The organizers believe that if the abovementioned concept is applied, such serious local problems as high level of employment, incompliance between qualification and market demand, and low self-consciousness rate of citizens, can be resolved.
After the festival, Lali Santeladze, Country Director of DVV International, told GEORGIA TODAY, “We already have 9 adult education centers in different regions of Georgia. We choose those places that are particularly remote from civilization. Annually, these centers have 8000 beneficiaries. In September, a new center will be opened in Racha. Next year, we also plan to cover Imereti region. We act on the basis of local surveys that reveal the real demands of this or that profession, rather than on our own agenda. However, we provide courses of English and computer to all regions.“
The Georgian Adult Education Network is a member organization of the European Association for Education of Adults (EAEA), one of the biggest organizations in Europe working in the sphere of Adult Education. It unites more than 200 European and non-European Adult Education providers or organizations who are strongly lobbying the principles of Adult Education.
“Georgia had a great opportunity when it was engaged in the recent general assembly of the EAEA. The main message was the validation of non-formal and informal education, as they should be recognized by market and other,” Khatia Tsuramua, Director of the Georgian Adult Education Network, told GEORGIA TODAY.
“Around 15-20% of our beneficiaries, who are aged 6 to 89, have been employed, including the local population and the community of IDPs from Abkhazia,” Maia Chanturia, Director of the Adult Education Center located in Jvari town, Tsalenjikha Municipality, told us. “They even come from Gali region to get some skills. We have many self-employed people as a result of the center’s activities.”
On July 2, the official opening was followed by outdoor activities and an exhibition of hand-made products by the non-formal adult education providers. The festival has existed since 2002 and is held annually in Tbilisi as well as in the regions. This time, it was held with the support of the Georgian Ministry of Education and Science and Tbilisi City Hall.
Maka Lomadze