Following the introduction of the country’s development policy, different GOs & NGOs organized various development and training centers like Community Skill Training Center (CSTC), Farmers Training Center (FTC), centers working on health and agriculture that support the realization of development goals. Such development organizations are in a dire need of experts who can integrate education and development activities to meet the national development goals.

Moreover, adults constitute 50 percent of Ethiopia’s population. The majority (58%) of these adults cannot read and write (UNESCO 2006). Creating an environment for developing adults’ life skills and various competencies is necessary to develop a sustainable knowledge society. To meet this objective, adult education professionals and institutions are indispensable elements.

Recently the government gave due attention to adult education as it is one of the instruments for implementation of development and transformation plan. With this regard, MOE (2008:17) stresses the importance of building capacity of adult education facilitators, supervisors and other experts. Therefore, providing the capacity building training for supervisors and experts assigned for adult education at federal, regional and wereda levels in higher education institutions is emphasized as one strategy. Academicians in Universities and training institutions are encouraged to carry out research in sub-sector and train experts properly to enable them to contribute in strengthening adult education.

Furthermore, MOE (2009:25) expresses that universities and institutions are encouraged and supported to establish adult education training programs and to provide training for experts in the field.

Hence, for the realization of the National Adult Education Strategy as well as integrating adult education with the country’s development endeavors, it is important to produce adult educators who plan and manage both adult education and community development programs.

Professional Profile (where they can work)

The graduates of adult education and community development with BA degree will have the opportunities:

  • Employed in a wide range of community service line ministries, organizations and can work:
    • At regional, zonal and woreda level to Organize and Coordinate adult and non-formal programs
    • At training centers, at regional, zonal and woreda level to Develop, Organize, Coordinate training for adult and non-formal education program facilitators
    • In TVET agency to coordinate non-formal TVET programs
    • Community resource mobilization and development centers (like CLCs; FTCs,)
    • Social service agencies (small scale and medium enterprises)
    • National and international NGOs working on Education related issues, humanitarian organization, community based organizations, gender, agriculture, health…
    • Crisis intervention and rehabilitation centers,
    • Rural and urban transformation centers (project design, develop, implementation and evaluation )
    • In small and medium scale enterprises  (Agriculture and food security, Disease Prevention/controlling, Business and industry)
    • To work in colleges and universities as instructor, researcher, training and project coordinator, distance and continuing coordinator as part of lifelong learning