Factors affecting the implementation of integrated functional adult literacy: the case of gudeya bila woreda

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess factors affecting the implementation of integrated functional adult literacy in Gudeya Bila Woreda, East wollega zone, Oromia regional state. The sources of data for the study were;164 IFAL participants,4 literacy teachers,4 literacy facilitators,28 IFAL committee, school supervisors, 2 woreda education experts ,4 school directors ,4 health extension workers,6 agricultural workers,4 kebele chair persons, and relevant documents related to the issue. This study used both quantitative and qualitative methods. The simple random sampling and census sampling techniques were employed to select the respondents of the study and frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation were used to analyze the collected data. The instrument used for data collections were; questionnaire, interview and document analysis. The questionnaires were prepared to be completed by IFAL participants and IFAL committee. The interview was employed to the literacy teachers, facilitators, supervisors, woreda education experts, school directors, kebele chair persons and health extension and agricultural workers. The woreda education expert, teachers, facilitators and literacy participants have good knowledge and understanding about the IFAL related to the strategy document and others integrated sectors they know about the IFAL program but they lack commitment to implement it. However, the support provided by the community members to construct literacy centres and the attention provided by coordinating committee to su pport the program was unsatisfactory. The finding revealed that in Gudeya Bila woreda the major factors that affect the implementation of IFAL were: Integrated sectors lack commitment to implement IFAL program in integrated manner, lack of incentives, Inadequate budget ,committees lack commitments, Poor support from the all stakeholders and community, lack of regular supervision, Inconvenient time, Lack of certification for learners, Lack of cooperation in the committee and effective leadership from the woreda training committee and leave all responsibility to woreda education office. Finally based on the finding and conclusions of the study recommendations forwarded that Woreda Education Office, Woreda administration and Zone education office should closely work with another and create awareness for the integrated sectors about the program by organizing regular meeting with them and to strength the power of the committee in order to discharge their duties and responsibility as indicated in the IFAL guide lines. In addition to this, Woreda education office should discuss with learners to adjust the time of IFAL program, to allocate enough budgets, to monitor and evaluate the program in systematic ways, to provide incentives for the IFAL implementers and provide certificate for the learners on time. To sum up, to be successful in IFAL program the contribution of every responsible individual and organization in the woreda for real implementation of the strategy document is believed to be very important