As noted earlier, the literacy programme growth curve is not monotonically increasing over the years.

During the 70s and the first half of the 80s – until 1984/85 – the system grew steadily, with some fluctuations here and there of course, and by 1984/85 the total enrolment had reached its highest mark (11,772). Thenceforth, it started declining so much that in 1996/97 it was at its lowest (4,014). The next two years recorded an increase of just over 1000 students a year.

So far, the system has enrolled an aggregated number of 179,631 students (55,114 male and 124,517 female) since its introduction in 1973/74. The overall male/female enrolment ratio is 1 male to 2.3 females, and the graduation ratio is 1:2.2, i.e. one male to 2.2 female graduates.

After graduating from literacy classes, some adults continue their pursuit of education in adult education centres. The MOE makes provisions for all those who successfully complete their literacy programme by passing the Grade 4 level examination to study for the remaining 2 years of the elementary cycle, and the 3 years of the preparatory cycle, as well as for the secondary and tertiary levels of education. For all levels of general education, students have to register with the adult education centres.

Adult education students have two alternative modes of study. Firstly, they can attend the formal classes especially organized for them in the adult education centres. Secondly, those who cannot, or do not want to, attend formal classes in the adult education centres, can study at home and receive the necessary help and guidance from adult education staff in the centres or schools. Students can combine various modes of learning: for example, they can study at home and attend classes whenever they can and wish to do so.

Whatever method of study and education delivery system utilized, students have to pass the appropriate grade level examinations.

Adult education teachers are selected from the teaching staff of local schools. Typically they are subject teachers. All the teachers who teach adult education classes have attended adult education teacher-training courses organized by the Ministry of Education. The adult education teaching and learning programme is under the supervision of the adult education supervisors.

Table AE4 shows the developmental trends and current status of the Adult Education Centres during the 90s, gender-segregated by enrolments in primary, preparatory, and secondary level classes, and the number of classes.

Source:

Statistical Year Books, MOE, 1990/91 to 1997/98.

From 1990/91 onwards, the growth of adult education centres has been rather spasmodic. In 1991 there were 144 centres, and the next year the number grew to 157, a growth of 9%. The following year, 1993, their number rose to 204, a growth of almost 30% in a year. Due to various reasons, the following year the number slid to 176, almost by 14%. In 1995 it rose to 192, only to fall to 183 in 1996, and to slide a little more the next year to 180 in 1997. In 1998, the number of centres fell again to 146, nearly reaching its starting base of 144.

Figure AE4 presents a visual display of the growth in the number of male and female students in the primary, preparatory and secondary cycles.

Evidently, the student growth pattern has responded to the centre growth pattern. The total number of students reached its peak (20,095) in 1992/93 and then gradually declined to 14,084, the lowest in the decade.

It is interesting to note the emergence of 19 co-ed adult education centres and 29 co-ed classes. 13 primary, 12 preparatory and 4 secondary co-ed classes operated in 1997/98, almost all of them in the sparsely-populated areas of the Dhofar region.

The differential trends in the growth of male and female students on the one hand, and in the growth of primary, preparatory and secondary cycles on the other hand, have taken their own courses over the years. From Figure AE4 we can observe the following features of enrolment patterns:

1. Comparing male enrolment in the three cycles, we see that the primary enrolment is much less than the preparatory or secondary enrolments (almost one third of preparatory or secondary enrolment) in the first half of the decade. During the later years, a positive correlation has emerged between enrolment and cycle, i.e. each successive cycle has increasing enrolment. For example, in 1997/98 the primary, preparatory and secondary cycle enrolments of male students were 446, 2,201 and 4,262 respectively.

2. In contrast, for female enrolments the relationship between cycle and enrolment is inverse. Primary female enrolments are much higher than both preparatory and secondary enrolments throughout the decade, and after 1993/94 secondary enrolments became increasingly higher than preparatory enrolments.

3. In general, female secondary enrolments have risen steadily over successive years, except in 1995/96 when they suffered a small decline, which was compensated by a sharper rise in the following years.

4. Male secondary enrolment in contrast fell steadily since 1992/93, but took a sharp upward turn in 1997/98.