Non-formal education and an expanded conception of development

A RECONSTRUCTION OF THE CONCEPT OF DEVELOPMENT WOULD SEEM TO INVOLVE ACCOMMODATING EXISTING THEORY TO AT LEAST THESE SIX VARIABLES: (1) GREATER EFFORT IN THE "HUMANITARIAN" OR "SURVIVAL" DOMAIN; (2) A SHIFT, BY DEVELOPED NATIONS, FROM A PROACTIVE TO A REACTIVE CONSTRUCTION OF THEIR ROLE; (3) THE BUILDING IN OF MEASURES SPECIFICALLY GEARED TO THE MORE EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH; (4) AN EMPHASIS ON COMPREHENSIVE AND FUNDAMENTAL RURAL DEVELOPMENT; (5) EFFORTS DIRECTED TOWARD EMPLOYMENT PER SE, RATHER THAN JUST TO EMPLOYMENT AS A COROLLARY OF ECONOMIC GROWTH; AND (6) ACCEPTANCE OF SOME MEASURE OF DECENTRALIZATION OF PLANNING AND DECISION-MAKING. HOW THAT CONCEPT OF DEVELOPMENT RELATES TO NON-FORMAL SCHOOLING IS SHOWN BY A CRITIQUE OF THE PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH FORMAL SCHOOLING EFFORTS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES: THE ERRONEOUS DEMAND FOR SCHOOLING, DIPLOMAS, DEGREES, RATHER THAN EDUCATION AS SUCH; THE FORMIDABLE COSTS OF FORMAL SCHOOLING; THE WASTAGE IN SEQUENTIAL SCHOOLING SYSTEMS; THE PLIGHT OF THE EDUCATED UNEMPLOYED. NEXT DISCUSSED ARE THE CONTRASTIVE MERITS OF NON-FORMAL EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS: THEIR AUTHENTICITY AND APPLICABILITY; UTILIZATION OF THE ORAL TRADITION; RELIANCE ON LOCAL RESOURCES; THE NEED FOR REVISION OF REWARD STRUCTURES. IN CONCLUSION THE DISCUSSION FOCUSES ON THE NEED TO GIVE SPECIAL ATTENTION TO NON-FORMAL EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS THAT ARE LOW-COST, SHORT-DURATION, NEED-BASED, ASPIRATION-ACCOMMODATING, EMPLOYMENT-LINKED, DECENTRALIZED, AND HIGHLY DISTRIBUTIVE.