Extension education is that type of education which is extended out into the local populations, especially in the rural areas where there are less educational institutions providing formal education is available. It is usually given to adults who are already engaged in activities, primarily agricultural. James Stuart (England) is considered the Father of Extension Education in the World. In India, Extension Education was pioneered by Dr. N K Singh of College of Agriculture, Calcutta University, in 1950.
Extension Education is usually applied in sectors of agriculture which include farming, fisheries, dairying, animal husbandry, etc. In India, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmer’s Welfare under the Central Government is responsible for implementing schemes and action plans for extension works.
Long story short
- OBJECTIVES OF EXTENSION EDUCATION
- ADVANTAGES OF EXTENSION EDUCATION
- EXTENSION EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABILITY
- REFERENCE
OBJECTIVES OF EXTENSION EDUCATION
The major objectives of Extension Education are:
- To help people discover and analyze their problems and needs by their own.
- To develop leadership skills in people in order to organize groups and solve problems of their own.
- To make people understand and enact the research information of economic and practical importance.
- To assist people in mobilizing and utilizing the resources which they already have or which they need from the outside.
- To collect and transmit feedback information for solving management problems.
ADVANTAGES OF EXTENSION EDUCATION
Extension Education actually showcases the real intention of Formal Education. No education is valuable unless it is applied in our day-to-day activities. It is a common sight that there is a day and night difference between the research activities and practical applicability of technology and methodologies in agriculture and other allied sectors. Extension education helps to reduce the gap between these two. It helps the farmers to understand their problems by themselves and help them find a solution to it by practical application of new technologies developed as a result of research activities.
Another advantage of extension education is the skill development of workers. In this method of education, knowledge is not confined to the four walls of a classroom or into the pages of a book. The benefactors of this education are people who have already undertaken their respective fields as source of livelihood. Extension education thus increases the overall knowledge and skills that a person has in a particular field, thereby increasing the efficiency in production.
Extension education helps to reduce the margin of Urban-Rural divide in terms of economic stability. As agricultural activities are mostly confined to rural areas where the economic stability of the people is less compared to that of their urban counterparts, Extension Education can act as a leverage for increasing their productivity.
EXTENSION EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABILITY
Promotion of extension education can positively affect the sustainable development practices. Wastage of resources is the most important factor contributing to unsustainable development practices. This inefficiency in usage of resources probably occurs due to lack of knowledge and skills. Educational qualification can never be a criterion for agricultural activities because this sector is safer in the hands of people with practical knowledge than a Bachelor’s degree. But the fact is that the importance of theoretical knowledge and introduction of new technologies to increase efficient utilization of resources cannot be ruled out. This not only helps increase productivity of the farmers, but also help achieve this surplus in a sustainable manner. The active participation of the people in Extension Education helps to bridge the margin of practical applicability of Sustainable Development as these methods can be made in line with the Sustainable Development Goals.