One of the effects of a top-down approach in adult education is the tendency to formalise the programmes. The objectives are centrally set after the educators have come out with a long list of learning needs of adults whom they have not met in their lifetime. The content of the programmes is charted out by subject "specialists or experts" who also know how much adult learners can take. Methods of teaching are usually prescribed to the adult educators, and if funds are available, detailed adults' education handbooks are produced to guide educators. Teachers' manuals are also prepared to go with the learners' primers. Sometimes, adult education programmes are taught by untrained educators who simply read instructions in the teacher's manual to the adult learners. Finally the adult learners are subjected to national examinations, and the results are published nationally although the individual learners do not get them because their classes are no longer in operation when the results are announced. This article shows how the top-down approach in adult education has created obstacles to adult learning. These obstacles can be avoided by the use of the bottom-up approach consisting of living and working with the adult learners, and in trying to understand their social realities. The article points out the most important factors of the socio-economic system of any community which will help the facilitator/animator to realise the complex situation of working with the people, and developing their own programmes for social and economic development.
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