Economics of nonformal education : resources, costs, and benefits

STEADILY INCREASING COSTS, COUPLED WITH A GROWING RURAL POPULATION WHOSE LIFE STYLE IS ILL-ADAPTED TO THE URBAN EMPHASIS OF GENERAL EDUCATION TECHNOLOGIES, HAVE MADE OTHER ALTERNATIVES ESSENTIAL. NONFORMAL EDUCATION IS APPEALING IN SUCH CIRCUMSTANCES FOR IT CAN REDUCE COSTS WHILE RELATING DIRECTLY TO THE DAILY LIFE OF THE PEOPLE. THE AUTHOR ILLUSTRATES HOW RESOURCES CAN BOTH BE GENERATED AND MAXIMIZED THROUGH SUCH TECHNIQUES AS THE USE OF UNPAID VOLUNTEERS, REDUCTIONS IN CAPITAL EXPENDITURES, AND LEARNING DURING PERIODS WHEN DAILY ECONOMIC PURSUITS ARE CONCLUDED. TWO WARNINGS ARE PROVIDED THE POTENTIAL PRACTITIONER: NONFORMAL EDUCATION SHOULD NOT BE SO SKILL ORIENTED THAT TRANSFER TO THE FORMAL SYSTEM IS IMPOSSIBLE, NOR SHOULD IT ATTEMPT TO INCLUDE THOSE SKILLS TAUGHT WITHIN THE VILLAGE AS MATTER OF SURVIVAL. A COST-EFFECTIVENESS MODEL IS INCLUDED.