Evaluation of the National Adult Education Strategy Implementation Success: The Case of University Trainee Issues in different Regions of Ethiopia

Abstract

Undertaking a critical evaluation on the implementation of Ethiopia’s National Adult Education Strategy of (2008) was the purpose of this study. A convergent parallel design with mixed, qualitative and quantitative approaches was used. Data gathering instruments were self-administered questionnaire and structured-interview guide. The questionnaire and the interview guide were prepared out of the evaluated National Adult Education Strategy. The populations of the study were 140 school leadership masters summer students who are working as principals in primary, secondary and preparatory schools coming from Amhara, Tigray, SNNR and Oromiya regional states, at the Faculty of Education in the University of Gondar and six lectures of Adult Education and Community Development in the same faculty and university. From the 140 school principals, 32 were selected proportionally through simple random sampling technique. Whereas, from 6 lecturers through purposive sampling only 4 were selected for interview sessions. The data collected through questionnaire and structured-interview guide were analyzed through frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation and thematically through narrative respectively. Results indicated that the strategy formulated in 2008, did not solve those challenges it has identified in its formulation, unachieved all the strategic directions/objectives it has set out and was judged by both principals and lectures as unsuccessful in its implementation and attaining its objectives in the year 2018. Responsible ministry/agency need to be established, collaboration among different ministries in the country, professionalism and the like have been forwarded in alleviating the problem as recommendations.