Importance of Adult Education

“Let us do something really great

Educate the adults illiterate”

Take a newspaper of a language which you can read. Read out the headlines. Easy? Now take a newspaper of a language you don’t understand at all. Try to read the headlines. Tough? Now try to write in that language. Impossible? How do you feel? Helpless? Possibly exasperated? Imagine the condition of the 775 million adults who have no idea how to read and write, in any language.

Adult illiteracy is one of the major problems in the developing countries. The major cause of this problem is poverty. Parents are not able to give proper education to their children, due to unavailability of money. Also, these parents might not know the long term benefits of investment in their children’s education. Though there might be schools providing education at very low costs, parents, instead of sending their children to school, force them to earn money for the family. These children grow up to become uneducated adults. So, lack of awareness is another cause of adult illiteracy.

The effects of adult illiteracy are drastic. People generally look down upon such illiterate people, and discriminate against them. When discriminated against, these people hide their faces. They are afraid to step out in public. Their self-respect and self-esteem gets completely destroyed. As they have no qualifications at all, they do ill-paid jobs like working at construction sites and working as domestic servants. And even while doing these jobs, they aren’t able to count their money. They couldn’t sign any official paper. So, they can be easily manipulated by others. The ultimate result of all this is poverty. So, poverty is both the cause and effect of adult illiteracy. These illiterate adults might have the potential to do great things in life, but illiteracy holds them down. They have to depend upon others for knowing the headlines of the newspaper, for writing a letter, for knowing the story of a magazine, and what not? They could never be independent.

This problem of adult illiteracy has a very simple solution. Each one of us should teach at least one adult in our life. 17% of the adult population of the world is uneducated. So if each person in his/her life sets a target of teaching one adult how to read and write, in any language they like, adult illiteracy would become a thing of the past. Today many organisations are working for adult literacy. Evening and night classes are held for adults. Illiterate adults should not be afraid to ask anyone to teach them. We can also try to spread awareness about the value of education. After all, education is the basic right of each and every person living on this planet!

“Eradicate illiteracy, let us all say

We’ll educate all, come what may!”

-         Manas Trivedi

Is Private Coaching necessary for competitive exams?

       In today’s competitive world, everyone is trying their best to win the rat race to become successful. Students of the secondary school start preparing for their career right since class 7. For this, most of them join private coaching classes. These classes aim at making them able to crack tough exams and builds their confidence. They guarantee success. So, the advantages of these classes are many, but just as each coin has two sides, even coaching classes have their own disadvantages.

          Firstly, these classes horribly mess up the daily routine of a student. My brother goes to his classes right after coming back from school, and come back late in the evening. He does not have any time for physical exercise or any other activity, and even his own school homework.

          Secondly, these classes give their own homework. Now, this is serious. Along with the school homework, you have to do tuition homework. A lot of extreme hard work. If you don’t have time to do your school homework, what will you do about tuition homework? I’ve seen my friends doing their tuition homework in school, and leaving their school homework pending. This greatly increases the stress on the students.

          And lastly, these classes have exorbitant fees. Parents invest their hard earned money in these classes, believing there will be value for money. But in some cases, the teachers aren’t as experienced and educated as they should be. They aren’t able to give individual attention to each student, as big coaching classes usually teach in large groups. So, the classes become a waste of precious time and money.

          Good coaching classes might lead you onto the path of success. If the teachers are experienced, and they have a good name, it is a great educational investment. But I believe, it’s much better to be independent and study on your own with determination. All you need is some good books, and a lot of confidence, and before you know it, you will be treading on the path of success towards your destiny.

 

-  Manas Trivedi