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Preparations are being made for the Sixth International Conference on Adult Education (CONFINTEA VI): ‘Living and learning for a viable future - the power of adult learning’, to be held in Brazil in 2009. As part of these preparations, member states are requested to prepare a national report on the developments in adult learning and education since 1997 (CONFINTEA V), on the current state of the art and future challenges of adult learning and education. These reports will constitute a major input for the Brazil conference, help to prepare a regional synthesis for the regional preparatory conferences and supply critical data for a Global Report on Adult Learning and Education (GRALE).

The purpose of this national report is to assess the achievement and pitfalls of the adult and continuing education system and process in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The adult learning and education (ALE) movement was developed from a people-centred integrated philosophy which was supported by the community. It focused on the empowerment of people to participate actively in addressing the fundamental challenges affecting themselves and their communities. Besides acquiring skills in literacy and numeracy, most learners acquired employable and business development skills which enabled them to become self-employed through the creation of their own businesses and the establishment of community cooperative projects. The government therefore developed a new adult and community education (ACE) sector plan 2002-2007, which grounded the system in a philosophy of lifelong learning. The tenets of the philosophy include: that education is a fundamental human right and all citizens should be enabled to achieve a basic required minimum standard; that education should not be limited to age, time and place but should be a lifelong process which goes beyond normal school; and that all forms of education whatever the content should be developed to meet the varying needs of the population. The programs developed in response to this philosophy include: basic literacy, numeracy and life skills programs; general academic upgrading and development programs which may lead to certification; basic computer and information and communication technology (ICT) programs; and basic employment skills and craft development programs. The report concludes by suggesting that ACE/ALE programs must focus resources on the following: strategies for implementing lifelong learning; development of responses to local, regional and global trends and their implications for St Vincent and the Grenadines; and building the institutional capacity to enable the ACE/ALE initiatives to sustain themselves and contribute to the national development processes and programs. The government should focus its attention on developing the institutional capacity of ACE to function effectively. This should consist of developing appropriate legislative and administrative mechanisms, developing the necessary human resources; developing appropriate technical and vocational education and training (TVET) policy; the development of a National Training Association and other appropriate legislative and administrative frameworks; and collaboration and networking among stakeholders. Show less