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Abstract:
Adult education paves the way for the participants to achieve the diverse goals that they set for themselves. Most adult learners choose to attend adult education programs because they want support in reaching their specific goals and dreams. This compels stakeholders to view adult education not as the end but as the means to different ends. Using an empowerment framework, the authors document some outcomes that can be achieved with adult education. Distilling the findings from adult education and especially women’s empowerment programs across the years, and presenting women’s own voices, we show that adult education is effective in the development of cognitive/educational skills (e.g., literacy, numeracy, basic knowledge). However, just as important are the social and emotional changes, such as increased self-confidence, communication skills, and awareness of societal constraints and resources. This foundation and a developing sense of agency facilitate adults to begin making changes in their lives, as aligned with their own goals and values. By systematically highlighting these outcomes, the authors demonstrate how adult education makes a difference in people’s lives and encourage policymakers to better support adult education programs in the U.S. and across the globe.