Dr.

Susanta Kumar Nayak Desh Vikas ISSN 2394 -1782

RNI: APENG/2014/57359
Impact Factor: 2.2376
Volume: 7 Issue:2 July - September 2020

Implementation of
Continuing Education Programme in Orissa
Dr. Susanta Kumar Nayak
Teacher Educator, DIET, Bhadrak, Agarpada, Odisha, India
Email: nsusanta81@gmail.com

ABSTRACT
Literacy is most valuable asset in the human life. It is the basic need and
condition for improving the capabilities and empowering an individual to
be efficient in various fields. It is also a potential instrument of individual
development, social up-liftment and national reconstruction. It provides the
basic knowledge and skills to the illiterate adults for making effective
citizenship and leading a meaningful life. In the other hand illiteracy is
India’s sin and shame and it should be wiped out. Literacy is regarded as a
means of empowerment, enrichment or up-liftment and illiteracy as
deprivation or oppression. Considering this, proper planning, material,
methods, media for neo-literates which should be designed for successful
of the programme. There were five objectives of the study. On the basis of
the objectives the quality of learning-materials, proper organization,
supervision and effective function of CEP was made. The study revealed
the quality of learning materials, methods and techniques of teaching for
Continuing Education Programme of Orissa and suitable
recommendations have been offered to improve this programme.
Keywords: Implementation, Continuing Education

Introduction
Importance of education has been keenly felt throughout the ages. Now
education has become the symbol of hope and confidence, process of
developing the inner abilities and power, modifying the behavior, inculcating
values, preserving and transmitting the cultural heritage, sublimating higher
achievements and vital necessity in the future of mankind. So, it is very much
essential to educate the children as well as illiterate adults. While the
Universal Elementary Education (UEE) Programme provides for free and
compulsory education for the children in the age group of 6 to 14 years, the
National Adult Education Programme (NAEP) caters to the needs of illiterate

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adults particularly in the age group of 15 to 35. Both the programmes are
complementary and essential for eradication of illiteracy from our country.
The International Commission on the Development of Education (1973) has
envisaged that “Every individual must be in a position to keep learning
throughout his life. The idea of life-long education is the keystone of the
learning society”.

Malhotra (1989) “Literacy is considered to be an important pre-condition for

meaningful participation of people in the developmental activities. Thus, there
exists a nexus between poverty and illiteracy; one tends to reinforce the other”.
According to Sanasam, (2007) studied on the eradication of illiteracy for
literacy of all, promotion of knowledge and skill of the neo-literates and
capacity building through training by unfolding their folded vision.

The most important problem in free India is the problem of tackling the
liquidation of illiteracy and the provision of at least a minimum education to
all the people living in this country. In India in the year 1951, the literacy
percentage of men was 27.16 as against 8.86 per cent of women. But in the
year 2011, 82.14 per cent of the men were reported to have been literate while
65.46 per cent of the women were reported to be literate. According to the
Census report, in Odisha in 1951, 27.32 per cent of men and 4.52 per cent of
women were literate. But in 2011 it was reported that 82.4 per cent of men and
64.36 per cent of women were literate. These figures level the fact that a
sizeable bulk of our population are still illiterate both at the national and state
level. Under this background, education of adults assumes great importance in
educational planning and programmes of the country.

Rationale of the study

The National Literacy Mission calls for continuous feed back of the
implementation process as well as the outcomes of learning. We have not only
to make people literate but have also to keep them literate. It is said that
literacy is an open invitation to further reading.

After the completion of TLC and PLP, a new arrival of Continuing Education
Programme (CEP) came into force for providing lifelong learning
opportunities to the neo-literates. It is being implemented from 2002 in the
three districts of Orissa viz- Bolangir, Sundergarh and Kalahandi with a
special project in Rourkela.

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Education of tribals is a serious problem. If their education is neglected, they

cannot come to the mainstream of the society. So, emphasis has been given on
their education. Therefore, in the first phase, Continuing Education
Programme (CEP) was being implemented by State Resource Centre for Adult
Education under the guidance of Department of Mass Education in tribal
districts of Bolangir, Sundergarh and Kalahandi. A special project in Rourkela
is also being implemented.
No educational programme can be successful unless it is backed by research
experiences. Without any research, it is as good as groping in the darkness.
Therefore, the Investigator decided to undertake a study on each aspect of the
Continuing Education Programme so that purposeful and meaningful
conclusions can be drawn for improving the quality of reading materials,
methods and media etc. being used in continuing education programme.

Objectives of the study

The objectives of the study were as follows:
1 To trace the genesis of the programme of Continuing Education in the
state of Orissa.
2 To study the views of the Preraks relating to various functions of the
Continuing Education Centres.
3 To make a survey of the existing materials for adult neo-literates.
4 To find out various organizational, curricular, administrative and
supervisory problems of Continuing Education Programme.
5 To suggest remedial measures for effective implementation of CEP.
Research questions
As per the various objectives of the study, the researcher had formulated
following research questions.
1. What is the genesis of the programme of the Continuing Education
Programme (CEP) in Orissa?
2. What are the views of the Preraks regarding various functions of the
CE Centres?
3. What are the existing materials being used for adults neo-literates in
the CE Centres?
4. What are the various problems on the way of successful
implementation of CEP?
5. What are the various interventions to be suggested for effective
implementation of CEP?

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Scope and delimitations of the study

Scope of studies on adult education is very vast. It can be exposed to any type
of research treatment. Studies can be conducted on teaching-learning
materials, reading interests and needs, retention and drop out in adult literacy
class, different methods and media being used in the class, impact of adult
education on the life of the adult people, characteristics of adult illiterates and
their perception of learning environment etc.

But the investigator intended to study the Continuing Education Programme

under adult literacy being implemented initially in the three tribal dominated
districts of Orissa. It is delimited to Bolangir, Sundergarh and Kalahandi
districts where the programme of continuing education was being
implemented since 2002.

Method of the study

The investigator had followed survey method for the present study. He
selected 3 tribal districts where the programme of continuing education was
being implemented from 2002. The sample districts were Bolangir,
Sundergarh and Kalahandi. On the basis of the stratified random sampling
procedure, the investigator selected 90 adult neo -literates for the present study
from the 3 tribal dominated sample districts of Orissa. Care was also taken to
select the sample from tribal population only. The sample also included 180
Preraks from different centres of three districts (60 from each) for the present
study to enlist their views regarding implementation of Programme of
Continuing Education. Further, a sample of 50 Panchayat Representatives,
Resource Persons, Supervisors, Administrators etc. was selected to study their
views on the various aspects of the Continuing Education Programme. For
focus group discussion, a sample of 30 community members was taken to
ascertain their views regarding the implementation of the Continuing
Education Programme.

Tools used for the study

The investigator employed the following tools for data collection in his study.
i. Documentation
ii. Questionnaire for neo-literates
iii. Questionnaire for Preraks
iv. Interview Schedules for administrators, supervisors etc.
v. Focus Group Discussion

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Major findings of the study

Organizational Aspects
 As large as 78.33 per cent of the centres were situated within one KM
distance from the residence of the neo-literates.
 As high as 47.22 per cent of the Preraks viewed greater concentration
of drop out boys and girls was the criterion of setting up the CE
centres.
 35.55 per cent of the CE centres were running in Kachha house while
33.33 per cent of the centres had no specific house.
 12.78 per cent of the centres were running during evening hours while
81.67 per cent of the centres were running during morning hours.
 68.33 per cent of the CE centres had no light facility for study during
evening hours.
 Chalk, duster and blackboard were available in 86.67 per cent of the
centres while textbooks were available in 84.44 per cent of the centres.
 As regards teaching aids, a higher percentage of Administrators and
Supervisors (74 per cent) considered teaching aids as adequate to some
extent only.
 As regards the attendance of neo-literates, in 52.78 per cent of the
centres most of the neo-literates were attending classes regularly.
 46.11 per cent of the Preraks were trained and 53.89 per cent of them
were untrained.
 With regard to the adequacy of the Preraks, 40 per cent of
Administrators and Supervisors opined that the number of Preraks was
not adequate.

Curricular Aspects
 Duration of teaching hours in 59.44 per cent of the centres was 2-3
hours per day while in 40.56 per cent of the centres the duration of the
teaching hours was 3-4 hours per day.
 75.56 per cent of the Preraks were teaching the CE neo-literates
distributing them in different groups.
 A higher percentage of Preraks (52.78 per cent) viewed that they didn’t
provide vocational education in any form.
 65.00 per cent of the Preraks viewed that the CE learning materials
were partly relevant to the needs of the neo-literates.

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 A majority of respondents (56 per cent) remarked that the instructional

materials were partially related to the life, needs and aspirations of the
neo-literates.
 64 per cent of administrators and supervisors found the learning
materials partially designed according to the level of the neo-literates.
 As regards the adequacy of the instructional materials, 60 per cent of
them opined that the materials were partially adequate.
 57.78 per cent of the Preraks were of the opinion that language used in
CE materials was fully comprehensible.
 Evaluation of the neo-literates’ performance was conducted in 88.89
per cent of the centres and 11.11 per cent of the centres did not conduct
any kind of evaluation.
 Further 46 per cent of them indicated that the evaluation was fully
based on Minimum Learning Competency (MLC) and 50 per cent of
them stated that it was partially based on MLC.
 As many as 35 per cent of the centres conducted both oral as well as
written test to assess the attainments of the neo-literates.
 About 70 per cent of the neo-literates opined that they could fully
gather knowledge independently from literacy classes.
 Quite a significant number of neo-literates (70 per cent) were of the
opinion that literacy centres would not at all enable them to be self-
sufficient.
 Quite a significant number of neo-literates (58.89 per cent) have
opined that they have developed interest to a great extent in further
learning after completion of CEP.
 While 64.44 per cent of the neo-literates had reported to be able to
write letters, 17.78 per cent of them had reported to be able to read
newspapers.
 Quite a significant number of neo-literates (90 per cent) have opined
that they were able to make their environment clean. 45.56 per cent of
them reported that they were able to know the causes of contagious
diseases and 75.56 percent of them were able to know the causes of
environmental pollution. As high as 83.33 per cent were able to know
the use of new tools and techniques in the field of cultivation.
 65.56 per cent and 67.78 per cent of the neo-literates have respectively
expressed their interests in reading books relating to different
occupations and home management.

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 About 64.44 per cent of the neo-literates wanted CEP materials to be

more flexible and local specific whereas 54.44 per cent of them wanted
the content of different reading materials to be more relevant for their
life.

Methods and Media

 28.33 per cent of the Preraks taught their neo-literates through
discussion method while 65.56 per cent of them encouraged student’s
participation in discussion.
 Further, 48.33 per cent of the Preraks stated that they followed text
book method only and 40.00 per cent of them indicated that they used
audio-visual aids while teaching.
 Similarly, 11.11 per cent of the respondents opined that they gave
home task occasionally and 6.67 per cent of them stated that they
didn’t give any home task.
 Further, 36 per cent of the Administrative and Supervisors considered
the teaching techniques being applied in CE centres as poor and 60 per
cent of them viewed it as satisfactory.

Administrative and Supervisory Aspects

 54 percent of administrators and supervisors were of the view that the
reading materials were occasionally supplied to the adult neo-literates.
 As high as 60 per cent of them opined that the materials were partially
adequate for the neo-literates.
 As many as 50 percent of the administrators and supervisors remarked
that the reading materials were partially relevant for the neo-literates.
 A majority of the respondents (64 per cent) found the materials
partially designed according to the level of the neo-literates.
 64 per cent of the respondents were fully satisfied with the quality of
the content of the reading materials.
 In regard to the presentation of the materials, 52 per cent of the
respondents considered it partially satisfactory.
 As many as 54 per cent of the respondents considered the quality of
language partially satisfactory.
 From the Focus Group Discussion, it was evident that the community
members shared many interest areas with that of the neo-literates.
Their views also corroborated with the views of the Preraks in respect

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of different organizational, curricular, administrative and supervisory

aspects of Continuing Education Programme.

Recommendations
The following recommendations are offered for improvement of Continuing
Education Programme.

Curricular Aspects
 The neo-literates should be grouped on the basis of their knowledge,
skills, experience and other cognitive entry behavior.
 Different co-curricular activities like games and sports, debates,
discussion, dance, music, picnic, literary competitions, field trips etc.
should be organized regularly.
 The instructional materials should be qualitatively improved to cater to
the life, needs and aspirations of the neo-literates.
 There should be adequate provision in the CE programme to impart
different types of skill training.
 Continuing Education programme should be linked with different
occupations, work and specific productive requirements of the neo-
literates residing in different locality.
 To meet the specific social, cultural, economic and other needs of the
neo-literates, the curricular programmes should be made flexible and
diversified.
 Language and style used in the CE instructional materials should be
made easy, simple and comprehensible.
 The Preraks should adopt different scientific methods and techniques
of teaching with a view to catering to the needs of different groups of
neo-literates.
 Suitable topics should be selected for writing books according to the
interests and needs of the neo-literates.
 There should not be too much content in individual books.
 The books should be free from printing errors and there should not be
different types of papers in a book.
 The learning materials should be supplied and distributed in the centres
adequately as early as possible.
 These materials should also be evaluated from time to time and
necessary modifications be brought about according to the findings.

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 Necessary guidelines and instructions may be supplied from time to

time in the form of guidebooks, handbooks etc. to the adult education
functionaries.
 Adequate number of materials and books should be supplied to the
neo-literates at their door steps by the Preraks and other agencies.

Administrative Aspects
 Additional continuing education centres should be opened where more
than twenty five neo-literates are admitted.
 Specious classrooms for all types of weather should be made available
to the CE centres.
 Essential facilities like furniture, teaching aids, play materials,
instructional materials etc. should be adequately provided in time.
 The Government should supply regularly all the contingent items
needed by the CE centres.
 Regular attendance of the neo-literates should be ensured through
various incentive measures.
 Some incentives in the form of books, dress, etc. should be provided to
the neo-literates to ensure regular attendance and to motivate them for
their further education.
 The Preraks of the CE centres should be appointed from among the
locally available educated persons and their educational qualification
should not be below matriculation or its equivalent.
 Remuneration of the Preraks should be enhanced.
 In order to attract qualified and experienced persons, some incentives
should be made available to the adult education functionaries.
 After the appointment of the Preraks, they should be provided with
intensive training in the area of content, methodology as well as in the
organization of continuing education centres.
 Necessary guidelines and instructions may be supplied from time to
time in the form of guidebooks, handbooks etc. to the CEP personnel.
 Adequate budgetary provisions should be made for CEP in order to
develop programmes on a large scale in other districts of the state.

Supervisory Aspects
 Regular and timely supervision of the centres should be made by the
administrators and supervisors.

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 Steps should be taken at their end to eradicate the management

difficulties of the centres.
 Log and inspection books should be provided to all centres for
recording important activities and the remarks of supervisors
respectively.
 Necessary conveyance facilities should be made available for effective
supervision in remote and interior areas.
 The supervisors should pay visits to the neo-literates’ house and study
their personal problems.
 There should be proper coordination and cooperation between the
Preraks and supervisors.
 More supervisors should be appointed for effective and regular
supervision of the CE centres.

Educational Implications of the Study

This study has implications for the authorities of State Resource Centre,
Orissa, the adult education functionaries, educational administrators and
supervisors, publishers and authors, writers of textbook/primers, neo-literates
and Preraks.

REFERENCES

Census of the India (2011). Population totals Odisha. Census Commissioner, India.
Devadas R.P. (1979).Wither the NAEP. India Journal of Adult Education, Vol.40,
No-10
Devi, S. (1979).Adult Education, Plan and action strategies. Bhubaneswar: Regional
College of Education
Gupta, N.R. (1971). Manual for Adult Literacy teachers. New Delhi: Indian Adult
Education Association,
Kundu, C.L, (1984).Adult Education, Principle, practice and prospects. New Delhi:
Sterling Publishers.
Mohanty.S.B. (1988) .Life-long and Adult Education. New Delhi: Ashish Publishing
House,
MHRD, GOI (1986&1992).National Policy on Education, New Delhi: Ministry of
Human Resource Development, Government of India (Department of
Education)

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Dr. Susanta Kumar Nayak ISSN 2394 -1782

Nayak, J (1982).Preparation of reading materials for Neo-literates, Indian Journal of

Adult Education, Vol.43, N0-5.
Pati, S. (1996) Problems of Adult Education Programme, the Associated Publishers,
Chuna Chowk, Ambala Cantt.133001
MHRD, GOI (2000) A Handbooks for Preraks, Directorate of adult Education,
Shahjahan Road New Delhi, 110011
Towards a New Dawn- A Documentation effort, Kalahandi Zilla Sakaharata Samiti,
Bhawanipatna (Orissa)

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