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Centre for Policy on Ageing | |
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On 'learning for leisure' and the margins of mainstream education
— a critical review of the University of the Third Age movement in Malaysia | | Author(s) | Ibrahim Rahimah, Zakaria Noor Syamilah, Hamid Tengku Aizan, Chai Sen Tyng |
| Journal title | International Journal on Ageing in Developing Countries, vol 2, no 1, 2017 |
| Publisher | International Institute on Ageing (United Nations - Malta), 2017 |
| Pages | pp 41-58 |
| Source | https://www.inia.org.mt |
| Keywords | Adult Education ; U3A ; Policy ; Malaysia. |
| Annotation | The University of the Third Age (U3A) has been promoted as an example of positive engagement in later life by many countries. Nevertheless, the situation of lifelong learning is diverse and varies between countries, particularly in Malaysia. The authors use the case of two U3A associations in the Greater Klang Valley area to study the institutionalisation of later-life learning in the local context. Their review outlines the operational structure and practices of the two separate groups, noting the differences between U3As in Malaysia with that of other developed countries. They also highlight the issues and challenges faced by advocators of older adult learning in Malaysia. It is evident that lifelong learning for older people has lagged behind in many ways in terms of the vision and philosophy, operational framework and funding structure, despite related national policy imperatives. Learning as a leisure activity for older adults has remained outside the education system that focuses on human capital development and return of investment. An age-stratified education system, coupled with stereotypes of ageing, has compressed the time and space for learning in later life, relegating it to the margins of social welfare. At the micro level, financial uncertainties and competition for limited government funding has detracted the U3A associations from collaborating with existing civil society groups. Concomitantly, the shortage of skilled and coordinating personnel, member attrition, and cultural ideas about later-life learning negate the expansion and replication of the U3A movement in Malaysia. (RH). |
| Accession Number | CPA-180525214 A |
| Classmark | GP: V5A: QAD: 7XA |
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| ...from the Ageinfo database published by Centre for Policy on Ageing. |
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