DAE 421

DISCUSS CRITICALLY HOW ADULT EDUCATION CAN CONTRIBUTE TO ACHIEVING THE MILLENIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS IN BOTSWANA

ANDREW BAKANI

The article tables out a discussion on how Adult education can contribute to achievement of the Millennium Development Goals in the Botswana context. Beforehand a brief definition of terms is offered below to give a common platform for mutual understanding as per the issue being discussed. DEFINITION OF TERMS Firstly Sustainable Development which is understood as, All development initiatives that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs and aspirations.(WCED, 1987) African Platform of Adult Education programs (2009), as well emphasizes that Adult education Programs, denotes the entire body of ongoing learning processes, formal or otherwise, whereby people regarded as adults by the society to which they belong develop their abilities, enrich their knowledge, and improve their technical or professional qualifications or turn them in a new direction to meet their own needs and those of their society. Millennium development goals focus on the following; Eradication of extreme poverty and hunger Achieve universal primary education, Promote gender equality and empower women, Reduce child mortality, Maternal health, Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases, Ensure environmental sustainability Develop a global partnership for development. The above goals are discussed in detail chronologically below on how adult education can contribute to the achievement of each goal in the Botswana context, and cross reference is used from other authors to support and beef up ideologies suggested. Be informed that none of the goals is a stand-alone task to accomplish, some are dependent of others for their successful accomplishment therefore linkage will be highlighted in this areas.

ERADICATION OF EXTREME POVERTY AND HUNGER Poverty is a multi-dimensional social phenomenon which affects Batswanas lives in many different ways thus leading to overall lack of progression in their lives. (UNDP, 2003) indicates that poverty in this sense can be divided into two main dimensions namely; income poverty which is the lack of a financial source of income thus resulting in one living under a dollar a day and human poverty which is the skills necessary to alleviate oneself from poverty. About a third of the people still live below the national poverty datum line in Botswana. This therefore as a solution calls for gender mainstreaming in all policies and programmes implemented by the government including those aimed at poverty eradication. The implementation of these programmes should address core causes not symptoms as this could result in a vicious cycle in a cycle of poverty. Batswana women since in most cases are the ones who are mostly hands on in the farming industry should be equipped to be able to perform to the utter most standards to not only be able to feed their households but as well sell their products. Adult education as a vehicle that facilitates for gender equity and equality has to help communities in Botswana appreciate and involve the participation of women across all scopes. This therefore will enable involvement of women in establishment of policies and programmes thus making suitable and user-friendly conditions. This therefore will enhance involvement of both men and women in the farming business adding to productivity as a case scenario in this context. Adult education should be put in place to be the core influence, through carrying out needs assessment for each environment exclusively, (Gboku & Lekoko, 2007). This would help people in that context realize their problems and formulate damage control measures that can be put in place to cub the extreme poverty they are experiencing. Such a scenario applies in the case of the young Batswana funding schemes that over the years do not bear much fruit thus leaving young Batswana not only in poverty but as well in overwhelming debt. In such a case Adult education should assess the lacking skills in Batswana youth and ensure they are attained for them to be able to establish concrete business that are competitive in the market and that can even hire other young people in the country, (MoESD, 2008).

Ministry of Education and Skills Development as well highlighted that the core reason of poverty is illiteracy, which means most Batswana do not have necessary skills and knowledge to alleviate themselves from poverty. This as such results in maternal health being compromised and child mortality increasing as studies indicate that children whom mothers that have received basic education and vocational training have 75% chance of survival. ACHIEVE UNIVERSAL PRIMARY EDUCATION School-based statistics show that Botswana has made and sustained significant progress towards universal access to basic education for boys and girls alike. The education sector in Botswana is very well resourced. It accounts for about 25% of public expenditure. In 2008/09, education was allocated 8.2% of the development budget and 28.5% of the recurrent budget. In 2009/2010, education accounted for 19.6% of the total budget. Investment in education has been increasing at an annual rate of 4% over the last decade (MDGR, 2010). Though statistics show achievement of universal primary education, with adult education what matters most is the quality of the education being offered to the citizens. The pursuit here is to produce citizens that can be independent not depend upon the government thus as such alleviating the government from its pressures for shift into other avenues. Adult education has to ensure review of the primary education curriculum to suit the demands of the MDGs goals and ensure it equips citizens with skills necessary to function and even help themselves access services provided by the government. Basic Adult education programs could encourage education in farming, productions and arts. PROMOTE GENDER EQUALITY AND EMPOWER WOMEN Promoting gender equality and empowering women requires harmonization of policies and laws that will ensure equal access to opportunity for men and women. Parity has virtually been achieved in primary and secondary education. In both the public and business sectors, the share of women in decision making positions has grown considerably as according to MDGR. Despite all this adult education needs to references issues that need to be radically addresses such as violence against women. The incidence of rape, for instance, was estimated at 97 women raped per 100, 000 population in 2009, a slight improvement from 104/100,000 in 2008 but still very

high. Therefore Adult education needs to create awareness amongst people of these inhuman acts that pose the country at risk of rising HIV/AIDS rates increasing. In the same token political representation is another key factor that Adult education has to empower women on as observed that in the cabinet, parliament and local authorities is well below the SADC threshold of 30% and is worse in the current parliament meaning significant changes need to be established and implemented to gain such a status as agreed. Within the same classification, historical and culturally entrenched inequalities such as access to opportunities, resources and power are bound to trail progressive regulatory reforms. Therefore Adult education as mode of consultation and the engine for change should eliminate aspects such as the glass ceiling and stereo typical classification of job description. Further to the above, proportion of women in paid employment is lower than that for men. The share of women in waged employment in the nonagricultural sector was estimated at 43.4% in 2007 and 41.2% in 2008 (CSO, 2009). Ownership of assets such as land, boreholes and livestock is also skewed in favor of men. This is attributable in part to the patriarchal nature of traditional Tswana societies. Major agricultural assets such as boreholes and farms are traditionally bequeathed to sons as opposed to daughters, entrenching inequalities in asset ownership. More generally, society still associates farming, in particular livestock farming, with men. Adult education is mandated to scoop away the patriarchal nature of traditional Setswana societies as major agricultural assets such as boreholes and farms are traditionally bequeathed to sons as opposed to daughters, entrenching inequalities in asset ownership. More generally, society still associates farming, in particular livestock farming, with men. This is so as a result of socialization as according Adult education and has to be changed. REDUCE CHILD MORTALITY Child survival is strongly correlated with the aggregate health condition, the quality and accessibility of health care, and poverty. Thus, Botswanas high HIV and AIDS burden is an immediate threat to child survival. Children born into poverty are also vulnerable to malnutrition and disease. Adult education programmes as such if used well and effective can help mothers use services such PMTCT to

cub the HIV/AIDS threat on children and vaccination of children at birth and when outbreak of diseases are announced such as polio and measles. This relies on the education level of the mother, as awareness is built through information acquired and quality of and accessibility of health care therefore hope for a reversal of trends in child mortality. Its as well important that adult education offers mothers programmes that improves the nutrition which if not address will end up affecting children greatly and lack of comprehensive and alert health service providers that training on the protocols for childhood disease management and insufficient follow up and supervision of health care providers are essential and necessary for reduction of child mortality (ACSDS, 2009) though adult education being the vehicle to drive the implementation of all this. MATERNAL HEALTH As is the case with child mortality, maternal health is also very closely correlated with material deprivation, the general health condition, and the quality and accessibility of maternal health care services (Graham and Hussein, 2003). Adult education should carry out a needs assessment initiative to highlight the urgent need to improve the capacity of the health system, especially personnel numbers and skills levels. They should as well advice health workers, social workers and government programme implementers to remember that programmes established do not always work across all context therefore the need to review them for effectiveness is vital and necessary all the time. The above will involve testing and enrolling of HIV/AIDS infected mother into PMTCT programme, as well as advice and a few provisions on pregnancy, child care n nutrition. Reduction of mismanaged abortions is another key factor to bear in mind and periodical checkup for all women in Botswana at local clinics and hospitals near them to add to the established National Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) Programme Framework Developed in 2002. COMBAT HIV/AIDS, MALARIA AND OTHER DISEASES Though less pervasive a problem for Botswana than HIV and AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis (TB), are significant health challenges in their own right. Both are subjects of strong public interventions Stigma and denial surrounding HIV and AIDS despite the surge in the number of people testing for HIV, stigma and denial are still significant barriers to individual awareness of ones HIV

status, malaria and even tuberculosis. Personal knowledge of ones status is a significant part of the individuals contribution to the national effort to contain the spread of HIV and AIDS that Adult education has to make needs assessment on and establish programmes that can enhance behavioral change country wide exclusively for each region argues (HMN, 2011). Culture as a key factor that contributes through socialization is important area battlefronts for HIV are not adequately covered in part because culture and societal norms constrain progressive policy and legislative action. For instance, homosexuality and sex in prisons and commercial sex are challenging areas because the law, inspired by societys value systems, prohibits both same sex relationships and commercial sex work. Adult education as another initiative to increase coverage in teaching about such disease should use digital media which most people are exposed to and relative adverts which can enhance the change in attitudes and perspectives. ENSURE ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY Botswana has made a strong commitment to the judicious use of its natural resource wealth and to conserve its biodiversity. A significant proportion of the countrys land surface area has been turned into national parks, game reserves and forest reserves to conserve biodiversity as according to MDGR and (UN, 2007). Once again Adult education programs will have to step to the platform to disseminate information to people about environmental conservation and how well to live hand in hand with their environment. This will house seminars, conferences and panel discussions or buzz groups. Thus to say people learn better from each other, and adults mostly when situation are related to their milieu. In a nut shell adult education programs will have to equip societies on how to preserve and use their resource sustainably. In some context it will have to advocate for intense laws that are placed in regard to the use of natural resources. An example of such a practice slowly coming into place is the harvesting of the mophane worm (phane), which has become extreme country wide thus calling for a law to be established and reviews highlight it as a walking progress. Poaching of wild animals mainly rhinos for their tusks has as well become troublesome over the years and increasing. In such a manner programs say killing poachers will not help rather teach people about the after effects, then having done that can one pass a law that pertains that

resource. Conservative use of land for various farming practices should be accompanied with programmes that can introduce ideas such as rotational grazing, and ploughing as well as irrigation to get the best out of the land allocated to one, this including government, NGOs and private sectors contribution and participation. DEVELOP A GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP FOR DEVELOPMENT This calls for togetherness in the world for the motto Together we can achieve more, elimination of isolation spirit. On the bases of some of the discussions from the AWEPA Conference compiled by (Forde, 2003) poverty reduction efforts need to be scaled up to counteract the deprivation-creating effect of the epidemic, notwithstanding efforts to prevent its spread and provide treatment for those infected. Poverty strategies must be calibrated to meet the special needs of households and communities devastated by HIV/AIDS, improving their access to essential social services, income generation and employment programmes, and where necessary, interventions to alleviate hunger and extreme deprivation. Special attention needs to be given to poor households already vulnerable to external shocks, the needs of women, and support for orphaned children. Therefore involvement of adult education directly with personnel with political influence could be of more value to revolutionizing the whole world into more of a family that care for one another, cohabit the earth together in harmony through MDGs as guidelines.

CONCLUSION Development Goals though not appreciated by many, have over the years since their coining helped many countries in Africa mainly Botswana with the help guide from the Vision 2016bpillars that Botswana had. Adult education is therefore essential to enable more to be done before the destination that MDGs have marked as a destination, this being achievement of Eradication of extreme poverty and hunger, Achieve universal primary education, Promote gender equality and empower women, Reduce child mortality, Maternal health, Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases, Ensure environmental sustainability and Develop a global partnership for development. Adult Educators should not rest until all these are achieved.

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