“The Continuing education is life long Education.”-Prof.M.A.Windey said 2003.

Prof.M.A.Windey speaks,Dr.K.Govindaraju,Prof.E.W.P Thomas,were present

“The Continuing education is a life long education.” Said Prof.M.A.Windey, Director of VRO-India, in a seminar organized by State Resource Centre, Chennai on the role of NGOs in A   dult and Continuing Education in SEVAI Centre, Trichy in 2003.Dr.K.Govindaraju, Chairman of State Resource Centre presided over the function. The Director In-charge of the State Resource Centre welcomed the gathering.  Prof.M.A.Windey delivered the key note address and further added, “Development in the field of Adult and Continuing Education in India is positive and quite encouraging. The implementation of adult education programme was started by Government of India involving NGOs. The adults both young and old were taught how to read and write. These adult education programmes continued when new dimensions were introduced into the learning process as a result of the evolution of Total Literacy Movement as Basic Literacy, Post Literacy and Continuing Education phases. The Governments began to show interest and concern about the type of education that needed to be established in rural India. It linked the importance of literacy to the social and economic lives of the people of rural India. The enthusiasm of Voluntary Agencies with the support of Governments organizing adult literacy courses was sustained, and it became the main avenue through which rural population learnt to read the daily news papers. The year 1977 marked a turning point in the history of adult education movement in India. Firstly a mass education and a community Development project were launched. Under this project functionaries were appointed to carry out development programmes including literacy classes through which a large number of adults learnt how to read and write.NGO those involved are national, voluntary, non-sectarian, non-party political, mass education organization, which embraces adults from all walks of life. These NGOs provided the ordinary people in society a chance to develop their potentials through liberal education. Thus NGOs became a strong vehicle that the department could use to stimulate and satisfy the demands of adults for any people-based adult education programme. These NGOs organized education as well as action community development programmes that helped to change the life patterns of many people. These programmes are meant to assist communities in finding solutions to their problems as implemented by voluntary Literacy workers. These communities Literacy workers are meant to inform people, provide a forum for the ex-change of views and to promote literacy and non-formal educational programmes geared towards development. In addition these Furthermore, the Literacy projects being implemented by NGOs aimed at disseminating information on small family norms, AIDS and Women-in-Development and other population issues. The project is designed to integrate population, in-formation, education and communication activities into the adult and non-formal education programmes. It is also meant to increase the level of awareness among the youth on the importance of small family norms. The important role NGOs are playing in the field of adult education should be appreciated asmany NGOs in India are involved with various types of adult education programmes on health, population and developmental issues as convergence approach. The dedicated NGOs focuses its attention on health issues like reproductive rights, family life education, which includes planning, the utilization and management of environment, and income-generating activities. The programmes are organised for both rural and urban youth and adults to enable them to adjust to new social situations. We are indeed hopeful that with an efficient use of our scarce national resources we would be able to face the challenges that lie ahead of all adult educators in India”. Noted scholar Prof.EWP Thomas felicitated.-Govin