Adult Education Programmes for Poverty Reduction among People with Special Needs

Abstract

This paper examined what role adult education programmes could play in addressing the issue of poverty among people with special needs. The paper looked at adult education as a field of study that incorporates everybody in the society the poor, rich, people with special needs and those without, the young and old are all catered for by various adult education programmes with the intention of reducing poverty to the barest minimum among not only the people with special needs but among every community member. Adult education in this paper is thus seen as a tool for empowerment that will free people from their poverty ridden situation. Irrespective of the needs of people with special needs they must be loved, accommodated and catered for within the enclave of the society in which they live. They are not to be sympathized but be empowered and this canbe done through the various programmes of adult education. The paper suggests that poverty can be minimized among people with special needs through distribution of resources and power .It also concludes that poverty reduction strategies must be embarked upon for the almost neglected people with special needs and opportunities should be made available to such people through floating various programmes of adult education which emphasize the values of democracy where everybody works side by side in order to create a dynamic and caring community for people of all ages and varied abilities.