CHALLENGES OF STAKEHOLDERS PARTICIPATION IN IMPLIMENTING INTEGRATED FUNCTIONAL ADULT EDUCATION IN THE CASE OF CHAHA WORADA GURAGE ZONE

Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to assess the challenges of stakeholders participation in implementing Integrated Functional Adult literacy program in three kebeles of Chaha woreda, Gurage zone. The specific objectives of the study were to identify the status of program implementation management, the extent of stakeholders participation, and to identify the challenges of stakeholders’ participation in the implementation of the program. For this study, descriptive survey research design was employed; both qualitative and quantitative data were gathered through questionnaire, interview and document analysis. The sources of data for the study were; 3 kebeles the Ara 3 schools directors and, 15 IFAL facilitators selected from three kebeles in Chaha woreda, and relevant documents related to the issue. The purposive sampling techniques were employed to select the respondents of the study. The collected data were analyzed using percentage and frequency. Two separate sets of questionnaire were prepared to be completed by IFAL facilitators and kebeles IFAL committee members. The interview was employed to the school directors and supervisors, and woreda IFAL coordinators. The finding of the study indicates that the level of stakeholder’ s participation in practical implementation of IFAL program was very low. The major challenges that affect stakeholders participation were: lack of attention given for the program from woreda administrative body, lack of training for stakeholders, lack of trained manpower, lack of cooperation from the committee, misunderstanding among stakeholders about the responsibility of implementing the program, lack of responsibility and accountability, lack of awareness created about IFAL program and the engagement of other sectors, inadequate budget allocation to literacy program that could enables coordinators, facilitators and teachers to accomplish the desired task & inadequate salary, lack of interest and commitment to teach IFAL in integrated manners, lack of regular supervision, lack of incentives for facilitators, lack of pre-service training for facilitators, lack of commitment of facilitators. To improve the condition of stakeholders participation in literacy program it is essential to raise the interest of all IFAL stakeholders, allocating adequate budget, Providing adequate training for literacy facilitators and improving their payments, above all it is important to creating responsible and independent institution that has authority to govern on implementation of the program. To sum up, to be successful in IFAL program the contribution of every responsible.