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DEVELOPMENT OF LIFELONG EDUCATION IN EUROPE:
THE EXPERIENCE OF UKRAINE
E. Kovalchuk
Improved quality of life and the acceleration of global processes in all public spheres (economics, politics, culture and social welfare) have made neo-liberal European governments reconsider the concept of education by redefining it as “an effective tool of economic development and subsequent profitable investments in human resources” [1, p. 24]. The educational policy of European countries is being transformed from a policy of “investment” into a policy of “results”.
In the 1970’s, due to the industrial revolution, and rapid growth of science and technology in Great Britain and other European countries, the term “knowledge society” which means “a society based on knowledge” appeared. In the 1980’s, the term “continuing education” become a reality. In the mid 1990’s, with the economic crisis and unemployment growth, the concept of “lifelong learning” came as a new force as the global knowledge-based economy challenged the labor market with new demands.
Reality imposes the need for lifelong education for the adult population. The 5th International Conference in Hamburg was devoted to these issues as education for adults was called “a key for progress in the 21st century.” In the Lifelong Education Memorandum of Europe, adopted in Lisbon in 2000, 6 principles essential for the development of adult education in modern conditions were defined: (1) new basic skills for everyone, (2) increase of human resources investments, (3) innovation training and learning methods, (4) new evaluation system for acquired education (5) supervision and consulting development (6) bringing education closer to home.
Lifelong education is becoming an important sphere of educational services in the world (especially in the developed European countries). Presently, 3 general forms of education exist: (1) formal education - primary education, general secondary education, secondary vocational education, higher education, postgraduate education (postgraduate and doctoral training), advanced and additional training for experts and managers with higher and secondary vocational education at the institutes, advanced training faculties and professional retraining courses; (2) non-formal education - professionally oriented and cultural educational courses at education centers for adults, lectures halls of the “Knowledge” community, on TV, and at various intensive learning courses; (3) informal education (a general term for education outside the standard educational environment) - individual cognitive activity in daily life expressed in individual efforts within the cultural and educational environment (communication, reading, attendance of culture institutions, trips, etc.).
According to the purposes set and achieved in the lifelong education system, it can be divided into 3 elements: (1) additional professional education (forms a professional staff resource of the modern high-technology economy). Service consumers in this field of lifelong education are the socially-adapted part of the
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population which consistently obtains education at all levels; (2) a subsystem which suggests education oriented at adaptation and rehabilitation of social and professional groups incapable of independently adapting to a rapidly changing social environment. This subsystem also includes citizens having no access to the formal education system due to various reasons and thus prone to de-socialization; (3) a subsystem which satisfies the individual needs of citizens (language training, knowledge in psychology, culture, etc.).
Unfortunately, the lifelong education in Ukraine is at its initial stage. Single random events are present, yet there is no consistent activity. The Law on Non School Education of Ukraine does not anyhow solve the issue, as it does not control non-school education integration into the general education system, thus putting aside the key problems in provision, validation and QA of non-formal education. There are no official statistics or special programs on the subject. Therefore, it is quite important for Ukraine to take active measures to overcome the lagging behind in this field in the near future.
References
1. Локшина О. I. Змют шктьноТ освп^и в краТнах GC: теорiя i практика (друга половина ХХ -початок XXI ст.): монографiя / O.I. Локшина. - К.: Богданова А. М., 2009. - 404 с.
2. Харьювска А. А. Lifelong learning - сучасн проблеми i шляхи Тх виршення. Електронне видання: http://archive.nbuv.gov.ua/portal/soc_gum/PPMB/texts/2008-09/08khapwd.pdf
Translated from Russian by Znanije Central Translations Bureau
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