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This week is Adult Learners’ Week.
Adult Learners’ Week, which is in its 20th year in Australia and kicks off today, aims to create more opportunities for adults to learn, as well as celebrate the efforts and achievements of adults who have stepped back into the learning environment. This year’s theme is Unlocking Learning–Lifelong learning for everyone. The theme aims to address the common misconception that learning ends with school.
Another aim for Adult Learners’ Week is to learn from the experiences of other countries and promote adult learning on an international level. Starting off in the UK in 1992, with South Africa and Jamaica following, with Australia joining in 1995, Adult Learners’ Week is now celebrated in over 40 countries. According to the Adult Learners’ Week website, the countries that celebrate Adult Learners’ Week include: Canada, Guyana, Iceland, Norway, Finland, Estonia, Ukraine, Romania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hungary, Austria, The Czech Republic, Slovenia, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, The Netherlands, Lithuania, Liechtenstein, Portugal, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Benin, Ghana, Cape Verde, Kenya, Zambia, Namibia, Botswana, Swaziland, Madagascar, Singapore, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Japan and New Zealand.
The Adult Learners’ Week website states that the Week involves several events and has grown to include events and activities from several sectors, including but not limited to: community adult education, health, aged care, museums and environmental. There are hundreds events across the country in each Australian state and territory to celebrate this year’s Adult Learners’ Week.