Adela Scutaru-Gutu, director of the Representative Office in Moldova of the German Adult Education Association (DVV International Moldova), in an interview for Radio Free Europe said adult education seems an ordinary conception when it is heard, but is interpreted controversially. The realities and prospects of adult education in Moldova were discussed in an international conference that was recently held in Chisinau, IPN reports.
“In the countries of Western Europe, a system has developed since the 18th century, by which the adult (the person who finished the formal education process) can resume the education process or can choose to become involved in a learning process that is different from that at the faculty or the one required at the workplace. In the post-Soviet area, adult education refers traditionally only to professional formation for better performance at work. This is evidently a narrow view that bothers the participants in adult education as these become tired of learning for better performance at work and the motivation for developing the personality multilaterally, for community activism, disappears,” said Adela Scutaru-Gutu.
The expert said this type of education should improve the adult’s capacity to cope in life and to work better with different qualifications, if the person wants to. Adult education is a complementary activity, but is yet an integral part of the education system.
In Moldova, only 1.03% of the adults are involved in learning activities, as against 8.9% on average in the EU. “There is no culture of learning. The people do not want to learn because they met with unpleasant or even harming experiences in the initial education process or within the institutional framework,” said Adela Scutaru-Gutu.
The expert noted that there are not many professional formation centers or community adult education centers in Moldova and the providers of such services should step up their activities and make effort to inform the people about the different learning possibilities.
