CHAPTER 5

LIBERATORY ADULT BASIC EDUCATION

Supporting Fundamental Change

In the view of adherents of the critical perspective on literacy, the only effective means of reducing poverty and inequality in Canada is through dealing with what Berezowecki calls their "root causes", located in the capitalist economic structure.1 Belanger asserts that what is required is the "modification of social (class) relationships". 2 According to Wagner, this involves the growth of class consciousness and class solidarity among the most oppressed members of the working class, leading to collective action on their own behalf. 3 In the short range, the goal is to increase their bargaining power through community organizations, unions and the like. In the long-range, it implies moving toward what Freire calls a "society of workers", i.e. socialism 4

In Freire's view, liberatory education can play a secondary, but crucial role in supporting the process of fundamental social structural change. He says:

a truly liberating education will correspond closely to the process of consciously organizing the dominated classes in view of transforming the oppressive structures 5

This requires that educators actively choose a political and ideological position on the side of the subordinate class. Educational problems are first of all political and ideological; to opt for 'neutrality' or 'impartiality' is to implicitly favour the interests of those who hold power in the society. 6

Freire

For an exemplary instance of this form of education, we may refer to Freire's work in Third World societies. According to D'Arcy Martin and Rick Williams, Freire's method of literacy education rests on three basic principles:

(1) Active participation of the learner in shaping the content and process of learning... (2) Dialogue of equals between the learners and the group leaders ad the basic dynamic of the learning situation.... (3) Collective and critical study of the immediate social environment as an integral part of the learning process 7.