1.3 Building a rationale for LLL policy

Submitted by uil_maintainer on Thu, 11/03/2022 - 09:54

Chapter 1 introduced some of the emerging challenges any society will face in the coming decades, and how these challenges create a context where flexible and comprehensive LLL policy is needed. By presenting fundamental global changes in technology, employment, demography, the climate, health needs and civic engagement – and how these changes affect learning – this chapter supports the process of building a rationale for LLL.

While international development frameworks in most countries recognize the importance of LLL, its full implementation remains an aspiration. In many regions, LLL remains in the margins of national policies and many countries still confine the term to adult education, non-formal education or continuing education. This tendency neglects the holistic value of LLL and its benefits across diverse areas of life (Yang and Valdés-Cotera, 2011). As demonstrated in Chapter 1, LLL is highly relevant to present and future challenges and has potential positive effects on all individuals and on underserved populations in particular. As a result, an increasing number of countries are now recognizing LLL as a comprehensive policy issue, cutting across different levels of education and learning contexts. Nevertheless, more progress is needed in LLL policy development around the world.

The first step is to build rationale, place LLL firmly on national policy agendas, and identify public policy issues where the adoption of LLL has significant comparative advantages. With this fundamental argument for LLL and its benefits established, the policy-making process can proceed with purpose

In your context: LLL as an integrated approach to sustainable development

In light of complex issues emerging around the world, Chapter 1 looked at the relevance of lifelong learning. By defining why the concept of LLL should be promoted as a concrete reality that can address some of our greatest challenges, the chapter provides guidance that policy-makers can use to advance the adoption of LLL policies in their education systems.

Before proceeding to Chapter 2, which is designed to inform readers how to promote policy-making from a LLL perspective, it is important to reflect on how the information presented here relates to your own national context. While much of Chapter 1 is universally applicable, certain aspects will have particular relevance to your country. Please consider the following points, questions and possible actions:

Key points:

  • The issues emerging in countries around the world are varied, and there are many that are unique to particular national contexts, but the most pressing challenges pertain broadly to technology, employment, demography, climate, health and citizenship.
  • As these issues are rapidly emerging, their impacts are not yet fully known; it is therefore necessary to respond to the current situation while anticipating the needs of future generations.
  • This simultaneously present- and future-oriented task requires the identification of public policy issues. Because LLL is relevant to a wide range of societal issues, such as health, environment, work, justice, citizenship, culture, social affairs, etc., it is uniquely positioned to respond to issues in a manner that recognizes how they interconnect.

Questions for reflection:

  • How is LLL conceived in your country? Is there an official definition? If so, to what extent does it reflect this chapter’s key points?
  • Does your country have a national plan or strategy for the achievement of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals? If so, how does LLL contribute?
  • Do any of the emerging issues mentioned in Chapter 1 resonate particularly in your national context?

Possible actions:

To identify how LLL for sustainable development relates directly to your context, try this step-by-step activity before moving on to the next chapter.

  • Start by pinpointing issues of particular importance to your national context at the present time, as well as those that might emerge in the coming years. Think about how they relate to the trends introduced in Chapter 1; for example, changes affecting demography, technology and/or climate.
  • Reflect on which areas of life these challenges impact the most; for instance, employment, health and/or environmental conservation.
  • Look ahead and consider what LLL initiatives or policy interventions might help to address the issues you have identified.
  • Identify the modality/modalities of learning that may apply (formal/non-formal/informal) to design and implement LLL initiatives that address the problems you identified.