Developments: More awareness needed about the benefits of non-formal education
According to EAEA members in Estonia, Association for Folk High Schools in Estonia (FHS), and Estonian Non-Formal Adult Education Association (ENAEA) the newly elected Estonian government seems to be open for adult education. The Ministry of Education and Research is preparing strategies for the next period (2021-2035) in the fields of education, research, youth, and language policy to utilize high-quality education and research & development systems to benefit people, society, and the economy of the country.
FHS explained that in general, the situation of adult learning and education in 2020 has remained the same as the previous year. ENAEA’s view is that the situation has slightly worsened in Estonia compared to the previous year. The change is primarily the slightly reduced number of participants in lifelong learning. The participation rate in lifelong learning has fallen compared to 2019. In 2020 it was 17.1% and in 2019 it was 20.1%. Such a decrease can be explained by the COVID-19 pandemic and its influence on all education providers. Major changes are yet to come, but there are expectations for the new adult education act, quality assessment, and personal learning pathway.
At the moment of the survey, FHS and EANEA were not involved in the CONFINTEA VII process but might get involved in the future.
Conferences highlighting the benefits of adult learning
According to FHS, Estonian adults are not sufficiently aware of the need for further education and lifelong learning, even though participation rates have generally increased in recent years. FHS held a conference in September 2021 to make citizens and educators more aware of folk high schools and non-formal adult education.
One of the main takes from the conference was that ALE is not just” private fun”, it is the responsibility of all society, including the Government. Participation in non-formal education helps to reduce people's feelings of loneliness – an increasingly important topic during a pandemic. In addition to formal education, people must be offered opportunities to develop in areas that make them happy. It was pointed out that the benefits of liberal adult education are difficult to measure, but they are well understood - understanding the new and feeling pleased with the knowledge gained. Unmeasurable is often more important than easily measurable and profitable.
The mixed impact of COVID-19
According to ENAEA, the digital gap has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Those that already had very good digital skills were able to continue learning, but those who did not have good digital skills dropped out of learning activities or had significant problems in following learning activities and demands. They remark that in rural areas, due to poor internet connection, lack of suitable devices, and low digital skills participants could not access or continue digital learning. An additional issue reported was also that not all educators had sufficient digital skills. Shift to online learning required also more training for the trainers.
FHS raises the fact that more people now have a better command of digital technologies, allowing them to access various digital learning activities, in that way, the digital gap has gotten smaller. Both organisations agree that outreach requires much more effort than before the pandemic. Unfortunately, due to lack of financial stability, most providers had to reduce the number of their personnel.
EAEA’s Estonian members consider sustainability important, and they are considering plans, how to implement it better.