The draft of the Kerala Curriculum Framework on adult education and continuous education released recently in the State proposes that equivalency learning be considered in three ways: equivalency education of those below the age of 40, that for people in the 40-60 age group, and that for people above 60.
The equivalency learners will most probably be those whose formal education could not be completed for some reason or who did not get an opportunity for it, says the draft.
At present, equivalency learning under the Kerala State Literacy Mission Authority is centred on Class IV, Class VII, Class X, Class XI, and Class XII equivalency education and examinations.
The draft moots that equivalency education for those below the age of 40 should include content equivalent to formal education. The learners in this target group are likely those who may want to shift to the formal stream. They may also want to appear for competitive examinations.
In the case of the 40-60 age group, the equivalency education, particularly in Class X and Class XII, should be the result of the desire to attain a graduation certificate. They can also be given the option to appear for the examination based on the content for the below 40 age group. Subjects and content for them should be based on informal knowledge that age and life experiences have given them.
The draft calls for special syllabus and content for those above the age of 60 in equivalency education. As the content taught to 15-year-old students is not what can be used to gauge the Class X levels of a 60-year-old elderly, the group can be given the option of choosing the syllabus of those below 40 or in the 40-60 age group for equivalency education.
When it comes to higher education, they should be provided with two types of higher education options. First is the opportunity to go through formal education. Universities can take a decision in this regard. They could conduct research on elderly education, and the possibility of an open university can also be explored.
Citing the example of the People’s University of China, the framework also suggests that job training centres can be set up to hone the skills of adults in their employment sectors. The open universities can provide certificates for the courses concerned, it says.
At present, adults can learn English, Hindi. Arabic, and Sanskrit. However, they should also get an opportunity to learn other languages so that they can be better equipped for the world market. Diploma and certificate courses in German, Chinese, Russian, French, and Japanese should be started, says the draft.
