From Their Experience: A Thread of Participation Uncertainties Amongst Adult Returnees at a University in a Developing Context

Learning in adulthood offers prospects for (re)defining and strengthening our self-worth for sustainable personal survival, growth, and development. The rate at which adults enroll in university studies upholds the longstanding belief that education is an enabler for social participation, progress, and transformation. An adult, who chooses to stop learning chooses to stagnate in adulthood. However, sometimes, their decision to return to class is submerged in circles of uncertainties that impede their social integration and participation in a system that was not originally designed for them. This article uses the principle of inclusion of the social justice perspective to explore the nature of adult returnees’ participation uncertainties and their implications on the teaching and learning processes. We draw our findings from narratives of adult returnees and academic staff at a public university in Uganda. This study acknowledges that adult returnees experience multiple issues that humiliate, obstruct, and hinder their participation and learning aspirations. However, this should not be grounds for underrating what they can do and achieve during a learning encounter. We suggest learner support systems and instruction practices that restore these learners’ confidence and stimulate and guide their participation in the teaching and learning process