CHOICES AND VOICES OF ADULT ILLITERATES

Unlike many studies that draw mostly on providers §accounts, this book explored the voices and choices§of the beneficiaries of literacy programs. It is a§grassroots view of how they perceive the importance§of literacy in their lived life. One of the key§objectives of this study was to generate a better§understanding of the complex needs for adult literacy§in rural Bangladesh. The analysis of data suggested§that rural adults tended to identify themselves as§educated or uneducated instead of as literate or§illiterate; there was hardly any difference in§perspective between neo-literates and illiterates;§adults engaged in regular rural occupations like§selling labor or farming are less likely to feel§motivated to pursue literacy; older male adults§preferred to spend their time on religious pursuits§instead of on literacy; and older women attached§higher priority to skills training as than did§younger women. Based on his research findings, the§author argued for developing some common ground. Such§middle ground, he asserted, could foster increased§understanding and cooperation among all actors, and§contribute to the development of more useful literacy§programs for rural adults.