Central governments must recognize the need for decentralization of development efforts, to plan programs specific to the needs and conditions of each target population. Development programs are characterized by program overlap because of diversity of sponsorship. A possible mechanism is a training and development center at the subnational level.…

Rural school and community renewal efforts may depend upon a reconceptualization of our democratic institutions and practices. During at least the last 130 years, we have come to judge our democratic institutions on the basis of whether they deliver the goods rather than develop our people. In the name of progress, efficiency, higher standards of…

Great changes are occurring in the vast and extremely diverse nonmetropolitan regions of the United States as a result of economic and social shifts taking place. These are not the only issues facing state and local education policy and planning communities. Nationwide focus on the school reform and school excellence movement poses another serious…

The decline of rural areas caused by agricultural mechanization may now have run its course with the rise of post- or advanced-industrialism which is offering a new set of opportunities and problems for the development of many rural areas. Instead of the pastoral subsistence farm of the past, rural America is becoming primarily non-agricultural…

Developing countries in Asia and the Pacific are undergoing a critical period in rural development. As part of a plan for integrated rural development, education has shifted its priorities to equalizing access to educational opportunities and improving quality of instruction. Representatives from Bangladesh, China, India, Iran, Malaysia, Nepal,…

This report summarizes a study examining the current conditions and unique nature of rural schools in Kansas. The purpose of the study was to identify problems that could be addressed through educational policy and state legislation. A literature review reports on the distinctive nature of rural life, factors leading up to school consolidation,…

This report overviews policy issues and research needs related to rural education in the South, focusing on educational systems in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia. It is generally accepted that the South compare unfavorably with the rest…

A preliminary investigation into the World Bank's support of non-formal education in less-developed countries discusses the role of education in the development process, the Bank's concern with education, and its funding of non-formal education projects. The Bank's involvement in education projects is described, from support for upper division…

Addresses Australia's changing economic structure and the increasingly important role of adult education in rural economic development. Adult programs that positively impact rural development include training for employment, small business training, enterprise education, community awareness programs aimed at promoting understanding of how money…

Based on a survey of written sources and perspectives of knowledgeable individuals, the report provides information on women's economic roles in Cameroon, and on aspects of social life which effect their economic performance. A description of the importance of traditional social systems and their evolution over the last 30 years follows a brief…

Representing over 72 different groups and agencies, 107 participants attended the May 29-31, 1979, National Seminar on Rural Education. Prior to the seminar, experts and practitioners in the fields of rural education and sociology were commissioned to produce 22 papers documenting, summarizing, and interpreting research and practice in 6 areas:…

Students with special needs living in rural areas face a difficult challenge as they prepare for employment and adult life. Access to vocational education in rural areas may be limited by isolation, problems in teacher recruitment and retention, curriculum and instructional deficiencies, and weak financial support. In addition, program relevance…