The Caribbean people emerged from the experience of slavery with much baggage along the way. One of these was barriers to education. The history of adult education dates back to colonial times in the 1700s, when slaves experienced their first taste of adult education through the apprenticeship system. With this system, slaves were placed as apprentices to masters who taught them an art or craft that also included reading and writing. (History of Adult Education, n.d.). After the abolition of slavery, slaves were gradually introduced to higher education. Looking at the challenges encountered in adult education today, one can identify with the many social, economic and cultural factors of the past that are still so present, but on a different level in today's society. When I reflect on adult education I can't help but remember the old saying "give a man a fish and he will have food for a day, teach a man to fish and he will have food for a lifetime." Adult education provides human resource practitioners with the necessary knowledge that would enable adults to support themselves, their family, and by extension, the economy for life. The people of the Caribbean were enslaved for many years. Even in our history, adults have faced many challenges in being educated. Plantation owners knew the value of education, so they did everything in their power to prevent blacks/slaves from accessing education, which was an upward movement of mobility out of slavery. Any slave found reading or writing would be beaten, mutilated, or even risk death. Slaves had a say through their songs, tales, and cultural observances. When slavery was abolished in 1838, slaves were freed... middle of paper... cationJules, D. (n.d.). THE POLICY OF ADULT EDUCATION IN MICROSTATES: THE CASE OF THE CARIBBEAN. www.didacusjules.com. Retrieved April 1, 2014, from http://www.didacusjules.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/AEP-MS1.pdfRedman, T. (2012). Women's union leadership in Barbados: Exploring the local in the global. Journal of Leadership and Organization Development, 33(8). Retrieved April 5, 2014, from http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?articleid=17062619Services for Citizens. (n.d.). ttconnect.gov.tt. Retrieved April 2, 2014, from http://www.ttconnect.gov.tt/gortt/portal/ttconnect/CitizenDetail/?WCM_GLOBAL_CONTEXT=/gortt/wcm/connect/GorTT Web Content/ttconnect/citizen/role/astudent/scholarshipsandfundingVocational Qualification . (n.d.). National Training Agency. Retrieved April 6, 2014, from http://www.ntatt.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=88&Itemid