Transforming Our World Literacy for Sustainable Development Transforming Our World – Literacy for Sustainable Development Transforming Our World Literacy for Sustainable Development
Selected case studies from http://www.unesco.org/uil/litbase Published in 2015 by UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning Feldbrunnenstraße 58 20148 Hamburg Germany
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Front cover image: “Training Farmners in Bangladesh”, S. Mojumder/Drik/CIMMYT / CC-BY-SA, 2011
We would like to thank the following people for their support in developing case studies during their internships at UIL: Alena Oberlerchner, Andrea Díaz Hernández, Anne Darmer, Ayda Hagh Talab, Bo Zhao, Julian Kosh, Justin Jimenez, Kwaku Gyening Owusu, Laura Fox, Lingwei Shao, Mahmoud Elsayed, Mariana Simoes, Medaldo Runhare, Michelle Viljoen, Mihika Shah-Wundenberg, Mika Hama, Moussa Gadio, Nisrine Mussaileb, Rouven Adomat, Ruth Zannis, Sarah Marshall, Seara Moon, Shaima Muhammad, Stephanie Harvey, Thomas Day, Ulrike Schmidt, Unai Arteaga Taberna.
Edited by Ulrike Hanemann
Graphic design by Jan Kairies
ISBN 978-92-820-1200-0 Literacy is indispensable to raise awareness and gather necessary grass roots participation in our efforts to improve the way we care for our planet and manage its resources. This transformation can only happen if society’s most vulnerable youth and adults acquire basic literacy skills that equip them with the knowledge and confidence to improve their own lives and build more resilient communities.
Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO, on the occasion of the 2015 UNESCO Literacy Award Laureates announcement, 22 July, 2015 Table of Contents
Introduction Arab States Page 7 Egypt Learning and Earning in Cairo’s Africa Garbage City Angola Page 41 APLICA Participatory Liberating Morocco Literacy Instrumented by Active Functional Literacy Programme of Communities Women of the Argan Cooperative Page 10 through Amazigh (Berber) Language Ethiopia DVDs Integrated Functional Adult Education Page 44 Page 16
Gambia Asia and the Pacific Community-Based Forestry Bangladesh Management Programme Ganokendra Model of Community Page 19 Learning Centres Ghana Page 48 Literacy and Community Development Cambodia Programme Supporting Maternal and Child Health Page 22 Improvement and Building Literate Namibia Environment (SMILE) NaDEET Environmental Literacy Page 51 Projects China Page 25 Community Learning Centres (CLC) Senegal Programme Associates in Research and Education Page 55 for Development (ARED) India Page 30 Teaching the Nomads in the Wild South Africa Page 58 Adult Literacy and Skills Training Indonesia Programme (ALSTP) Literacy for the 21st Century: Page 33 Promoting Innovative Literacy Uganda Education in Coping with Natural Non-Formal Education and Livelihood Disasters Skills Training Programme (NFELSTP) Page 63 Page 37 Indonesia Peru The Vocational Village Programme The Youth and Adult Literacy and Basic Page 66 Education Programme (PAEBA) Page 104 Nepal Community Learning Centres Uruguay Page 69 Education Centres for Training and Production (CECAP) Philippines Page 109 Community-based Adult Learning and Development Programme (CALDP) Page 72 Uzbekistan Community Learning Centres Page 76
Viet Nam Community Learning Centres – An Active Tool in National Literacy and Post-Literacy Page 80
Europe Slovenia Challenges of the Countryside – A Rural Literacy Programme for Adults in Slovenia Page 84
Latin America and the Caribbean Brazil Alfabetizando com Saúde (Learning to Read and Write in Good Health) Page 89
Chile The Lifelong Learning and Training Project (Programa de Educación y Capacitación Permanente, Chilecalifica) Page 93 Haiti Basic Literacy and Vocational Training for Young Adults Page 99 7 Introduction
The post-2015 development agenda indigenous peoples, children and (ASPBAE, 2012; Hanemann, 2005; sets 17 Sustainable Development youth in vulnerable situations, should Robinson-Pant, 2014). Goals (SDGs) and 167 targets. These have access to learning that helps are integrated and indivisible and them acquire the knowledge and The literacy programmes featured in seek to balance the three crucial skills needed to exploit opportunities this publication are drawn from every dimensions of sustainable develop- and to participate fully in society’ region of the world and testify to the ment: economic, social and envi- (final draft of the outcome document central role of literacy in responding ronmental. Over the next 15 years, for the UN summit to adopt the to sustainable development chal- these goals and targets are expected post-2015 development agenda). lenges such as health, social equality, to stimulate action in five crucially Given the immense challenges economic empowerment and envi- important areas: people, planet, to sustainable development that ronmental sustainability. Most literacy prosperity, peace and partnership. humanity currently faces, we cannot programmes set out to combine at People are at the centre of sustaina- afford to focus only on the education least two of the three dimensions ble development. However, sustain- of children. Over the next 15 years, of sustainable development – social able development cannot be realized access to quality education, and the equality, economic empowerment without educated people. Education development of a culture of learning and environmental sustainability – has long been understood to be the to support it, will be crucial for and many of them target women, as key to sustainable development. children, adolescents, young people, in the case of the Functional Literacy adults and older people alike. Programme for Women in Morocco, There is strong evidence of the wider or vulnerable youth, as with Basic benefits of education, particularly in It is particularly important that Literacy and Vocational Training for reducing poverty (UNESCO, 2011). vulnerable and disadvantaged groups Young Adults in Haiti, or the National Education helps mothers improve of people are empowered through Programme for Education and Work their children’s nutrition (UNESCO, access to relevant knowledge and in Uruguay. While a few programmes 2013), while better-educated skills, in order to help end poverty address the needs of urban popu- people are less vulnerable to health and hunger and to address the lation groups, such as adolescents risks (UNESCO, 2011). Education challenges of supporting people in living and working in Cairo’s Garbage enables girls and women to reach living healthy lives, promoting gender City, for example, most of them their full potential (Psacharopoulos equality, and ensuring the availability are community-based and serve and Patrinos, 2002), and is one of of water and sanitation and access rural populations. The Rural Literacy the strongest drivers of economic to decent employment and work, to programme for adults in Slovenia is progress and prosperity (UNESCO, mention just a few. Long before the one example. Some programmes, 2013). Educated people are more launch of the Decade for Education such as Teaching the Nomads in the likely to understand, support and for Sustainable Development (DESD, Wild in the hill state of Uttarakhand create solutions that ensure the 2005–2014) and the debate on the in India, are even reaching out to development of sustainable cities and post-2015 education agenda, sustain- nomadic and isolated minorities by communities, as well as to use energy able development was recognized using ‘mobile teachers’. and water more efficiently and to as a core objective for adult learning recycle household waste (UNESCO, (Mauch, 2014). The importance of A number of programmes combine 2013)People with higher levels of non-formal and informal learning, all three dimensions of sustainable education show greater concern particularly with regard to changing development, including environmen- about the protection of the environ- attitudes and behaviour, has been tal sustainability. This is the case, for ment. . Studies have also shown that stressed in relation to all three example, in the Functional Literacy education is an essential foundation dimensions (or pillars) of sustainable Programme of Women of the Argan of peace, tolerance and a healthy development. The rights-based Cooperative. The programme is run civil society (ibid.; UNESCO, 2012). In approach to literacy and education by the Moroccan non-governmental short, progress towards achieving the advocated by UNESCO (UIL, 2009), organization (NGO), Association Ibn Sustainable Development Goals will and the prioritizing of marginalized Albaytar, which aims to promote and be limited unless quality education is groups, is clearly in line with the demonstrate a balanced relationship available to all. SDGs’ focus on addressing social between people and nature. The inequalities. Economic empowerment Argan tree serves as a buffer against SDG Goal 4 intends to ‘ensure and environmental sustainability – the the Sahara desert, but is also a source inclusive and equitable quality other two pillars of sustainable de- of oil used in cooking, the cosmetics education and promote lifelong velopment – have also been present industry and traditional medicine. learning opportunities for all’. This in the content of adult literacy and The literacy programme is delivered implies that all people, ‘irrespective learning programmes over past in Amazigh, a Berber language, and of gender, age, race or ethnicity, decades and are far from new to the combines teaching practical skills including persons with disabilities, field of adult literacy and education to do with managing cooperatives 8 Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development with awareness-raising about the support from the government for and rural) communities with entre- importance of preserving the Argan local development. This is the case, preneurial and related literacy and forest and information about new for example, in the Integral Functional life skills and helps them to establish family laws. Adult Education (IFAE) Programme in viable income-generating projects. Siliti, Ethiopia. While many literacy programmes Offering children and young people have incorporated an environmental The Nepalese Community Learning working in particularly hazardous topic into their curriculum, a few have Centres Programme is a typical conditions alternative, safe work made environmental sustainability example of a community-based environments is the main goal their core concern. An example is education programme which offers of the Learning and Earning in the environmental literacy work of opportunities geared towards rural Cairo Garbage City Programme, the Namib Desert Environmental development in the Asian region. implemented by the Egyptian NGO Education Trust (NaDEET), which has In addition to literacy, it provides Spirit of Youth Association (SOY). set up an environmental education livelihood skills training and support The programme has a strong centre on the NamibRand Nature to establish income-generating environmental component as it helps Reserve in Namibia’s southern projects, and promote health and members of the garbage collecting Hardap region to work with children civic education, and knowledge of communities living on the outskirts of and adults in local communities. environmental management and Cairo to improve the environment by Participants are offered hands-on conservation. Other examples of spreading the concept and practice of experiential learning and have the community-based programmes that waste segregation the source among opportunity to reflect on their real-life integrate literacy with sustainable local neighbourhoods of Greater experiences in relation to climate development – though with an Cairo. The Community-Based Forestry change. The Indonesian Programme, emphasis on income-generation – Management Programme in the Promoting Innovative Literacy include the Ganokendra (Community Gambia is another that combines eco- Education in Coping with Natural Learning Centres) programme nomic and environmental dimensions Disasters, has a special thematic in Bangladesh, the Community by supporting the empowerment of focus on enhancing resilience against Learning Centre Programme in local communities to become effec- natural disasters. The programme Gansu, China, the Vocational tive and environmentally conscious helps communities to prepare for Village Programme in Indonesia, the entrepreneurs making sustainable use natural disasters and assists families in Community-based Adult Learning and of natural resources. This integrated the recovery process after they have Development Programme (CALDP) life skills and ecological management occurred. in the Philippines, the Community training programme is based on the Learning Centres in Uzbekistan, and Gambian community forest concept The vast majority of the literacy the Community Learning Centre which aims to enable the rural popu- programmes featured here take a Programme in Vietnam, which has a lation to own and actively participate functional and community-based strong focus on ethnic minorities. in the management and exploitation approach, linking literacy learning of community forests. with income-generating activities The goal of Peru’s Youth and and practical skills training. The Adult Literacy and Basic Education The social dimension, and, in Adult Literacy and Skills Training Programme (PAEBA) is to combat particular, the empowerment of mar- Programme (ALSTP) in South Africa, illiteracy, poverty and under-devel- ginalized communities, is at the heart for example, takes an integrated opment among socially marginalized of programmes run by NGOs such approach to literacy skills training Peruvian communities, using an as the Angolan Association for Adult and community development. approach that combines literacy and Education’s Participatory Liberating Mother-tongue literacy, English as numeracy learning with vocational Literacy Instrumented by Active a second language, numeracy and skills training. The primary aim of the Communities (APLICA) Programme. theme-based training on livelihood Chilean government’s Chilecalifica The primary aim of this programme development (income generation, Programme is to enhance Chile’s is to fight poverty and social injustice food production and preservation) social and economic development and to reduce inequalities in gender are provided, as well as health educa- by improving employability and and educational access by providing tion, civic education and sustainable promoting active citizenship, thus non-formal education and empow- environmental conservation. A similar facilitating the involvement of ering learners to produce sustainable approach is taken by the Literacy and individuals in all aspects of economic changes in their communities. The Community Development Programme and social life. Its objective is to programmes supported by the of Pamoja in Ghana, an inclusive liter- enhance opportunities for lifelong Associates in Research and Education acy and socio-economic development education and training, especially for Development (ARED) in Senegal programme integrating literacy with for young people and adults living focus on developing basic literacy livelihood skills training, health, and in poverty, and to improve access to skills, leadership and organizational civic and environmental education. In vocational and professional education capacities and on providing informa- many cases, these programmes aim and the quality of provision. The tion on citizenship and civil society to support participants in organizing Non-formal Education and Livelihood so that people can make informed themselves into community-based Skills Training Programme (NFELSTP) choices and pursue their own goals self-help groups and committees in Uganda equips vulnerable young through increased access to educa- to receive financial and technical people from marginalized (urban tion and information. Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development 9
Few programmes combine literacy REFERENCES learning with health issues. Two ex- amples are the Supporting Maternal ■■ ASPBAE (Asia and South Pacific and Child Health Improvement and Association for Basic and Adult Edu- Building Literate Environment (SMILE) cation). 2012. The power of literacy: programme in Cambodia, a model women’s journey in India, Indonesia, integrating literacy and maternal Philippines and Papua New Guinea. and child health education as well as Manila: ASPBAE strengthening literate environments ■■ Hanemann, U. 2005. Addressing at home and in communities, and challenges to literacy and livelihoods. Brazil’s Alfabetizando com Saúde Commonwealth of Learning: Literacy (Learning to Read and Write in Good and Livelihood: Learning for life in a Health) programme. The latter has changing world. Vancouver: COL, pp. been implemented by the Curitiba 101–108 City Council in Brazil, which provides ■■ Mauch, W. 2014. Education for adult literacy programmes that simul- Sustainable Development in Adult taneously promote health awareness, Education and Lifelong Learning. help prevent outbreaks of disease, Background paper for the final report increase environmental awareness 2014, Celebrating a United Nations and promote healthy life styles. Decade of Education for Sustainable Development, 2014. Hamburg: UIL All the programmes featured in this ■■ Psacharopoulos, G.; Patrinos, publication provide encouraging H.A. 2002. Returns to Investment in examples of the role adult literacy Education. A Further Update. Policy and education can play in enabling Research Working Paper, 2881. The sustainable development. They also World Bank point to an urgent need for future ■■ Robinson-Pant, A. 2014. Literacy policy development on the achieve- and Education for Sustainable Devel- ment of the Sustainable Development opment and Women’s Empowerment. Goals to incorporate adult literacy Hamburg: UIL. and learning, promoting a trans- ■■ UIL. 2009. Global Report on Adult formative and holistic approach to Education and Learning. Hamburg: the empowerment of disadvantaged UIL individuals, families and commu- ■■ UNESCO. 2013. Education trans- nities. The implementation of the forms lives. Paris. post-2015 development agenda – in ■■ UNESCO. 2012. International Liter- particular, the education-related acy Day, 8 September 2012: Literacy targets – requires the mobilization of and Peace sufficient resources for adult literacy ■■ UNESCO. 2011. Education counts: and education to make sustainable Towards the Millennium Development development a reality for millions of Goals. New updated edition. Paris people who have, until now, missed out.
More examples of innovative literacy programmes can be found on UNESCO’s Effective Literacy and Numeracy Practices database (LitBase), which is a continuously de- veloping database of promising adult literacy and learning programmes (http://www.unesco.org/uil/litbase/). UNESCO warmly invites providers of innovative programmes not yet fea- tured in LitBase to contribute material about their literacy initiatives. Please visit the LitBase website for further details.
Ulrike Hanemann 10
ANGOLA
APLICA Participatory Liberating Literacy Instrumented by Active Communities
Implementing Organization Illiteracy rates in Angola remain very and consolidation of the practices Angolan Association for Adult high and constitute one of the great- of the Regenerated Freirean Literacy Education (Associação Angolana est societal challenges which need through Empowering Community para Educação de Adultos) to be addressed. The Literacy and Techniques (REFLECT) approach, a Schooling Acceleration Programme participatory methodology developed Language of Instruction (Programa de Alfabetização e in the 1990s, which has been used Portuguese Aceleração Escolar, PAAE) developed worldwide by over 500 organisations. by the federal government is an This approach has been denominated Funding example of how the public sector is in Angola as the APLICA Participatory Ministry of Education, DVV responding to this obstacle. The PAAE Liberating Literacy Instrumented by International, ICCO, IBIS was designed as part of a 14-year Active Communities (Alfabetização strategic plan to meet the millennium Participativa Libertadora Date of Inception development goals concerning Instrumentada por Comunidades). 2000 education and literacy. It is a national literacy campaign that, according to the country`s preparatory national THE PROGRAMME APLICA BACKGROUND report (2008) for CONFINTEA VI, has AND CONTEXT had an average annual rate of literacy APLICA, initiated in the year 2000, is growth that corresponds to 9.02%, not only a methodology for promot- After facing a 27-year civil war and a total addition of 180,000 new ing literacy skills and adult learning (1975–2002) that caused 1.5 million literates in between the years of 2002 as an end in itself, but also aims to deaths, improving education in and 2008. However, since national promote social changes by empower- Angola is among one of the great expenditure in education is still very ing learners with the newly-acquired challenges the country strives to low, 2.6% of GDP, and has remained abilities as well as through group overcome. The Angolan life expec- unchanged for the past ten years, discussions and team collaboration. tancy at birth is no more than 48 it is clear that education is not a Other innovative characteristics years. This is reflected in the high current priority on the government’s of this programme include using percentage (43.2% of the population) agenda for public investments. As a tailor-made materials, employing of youth citizens aged 14 years or result, in order to improve national participatory techniques, developing younger. Approximately 70% of the literacy rates, the engagement of a forum for sharing ideas and people live in poverty and 54% live in civic society, such as the Angolan experiences among participants, and extreme poverty. Although at 2% the Association for Adult Education promoting learning and knowledge rate of HIV / AIDS prevalence is lower (Associação Angolana para Educação about human rights. Furthermore, than the average of the sub-Saharan de Adultos, AAEA), has become the curriculum includes cross-cutting countries (5.5%; 2009), it is estimated extremely necessary. issues that are highly relevant to the that the number of individuals living social context where the programme with HIV equals 180,000, out of The AAEA was established in 1998 is embedded, such as HIV / AIDS and which 60% are women. Gender with the mission of increasing edu- gender. Finally, the programme offers inequality represents another major cational provision through innovative a high degree of flexibility in terms of issue in this nation, especially with and inexpensive non-formal services methodology, schedule, duration and regard to access to education. It is for adult learning in order to fight location of so-called learning circles, estimated that out of the 800,000 against poverty and exclusion, which vary across communities in school-age children who are out especially among the underserved order to address personal, working of school, 433,600 are girls (1998). communities. It also endeavours to and educational challenges of its Furthermore, the ratio of female to put an end on the “culture of silence”, participants. male gross enrolment rates in primary the alienation and the lack of voice education is 81%, and the differences and self-governance of oppressed between males and females in the and impoverished persons in the Aims and Objectives rates of youth and adult literacy equal developing world in the face of to 16% and 26%. authorities, leaders and members of The primary aim of this programme the elite. This national organisation is to fight poverty and social injustice has contributed to the expansion and to diminish inequalities in gender Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development 11 and education access by providing non-formal education and empow- ering learners to produce sustainable changes in their communities. The programme also endeavours to:
■■ promote the acquisition and usage of skills in written language, i.e. read- ing, writing and calculating, in order to respond to the learners’ personal and working needs; ■■ integrate cross-cutting topics, such as HIV / AIDS, with literacy in order to enhance social inclusion of the most disadvantaged groups by empower- ing them to fight for improved living conditions; ■■ terminate the “culture of silence” that still predominates among the underserved communities, particular- ly among women; ■■ teach learners to work collabo- ratively with other members of the community in order to promote sus- tainable social and economic changes where they live; ■■ mobilise, promote awareness and encourage other civil society stakeholders to increase participation and provision of services in adult when the organisation reaches out contains the tasks activities. The two- education; to a community and disseminates its day revision workshops, held twice ■■ disseminate APLICA / REFLECT work to leaders, such as clergymen, a year, are an additional resource, as an adult education approach in secretaries and programme coordina- intended to revise earlier contents, Angola. tors. Then these leaders present the to enhance facilitators’ knowledge association with a list of names of and teaching practices and to present potential candidates who are selected new tools to be used in the circles. PROGRAMME by AAEA staff. The expected roles of In addition, AAEA offers workshops IMPLEMENTATION facilitators include leading the circles, on cross-cutting issues which help participating in monthly meetings facilitators to expand their knowledge with other facilitators from the and understanding about topics that Recruitment and Training municipality, writing monthly reports are relevant to themselves and their of Facilitators about their work and challenges community. For instance, the training and electing the vice-coordinator about HIV / AIDS aims to increase The minimum requirement to become and coordinator of the region. The awareness and produce discussions a facilitator is to have completed at number of facilitators varies accord- among facilitators and coordinators least grade four at elementary school, ing to the population density and the about essential facts, such as which implies that he or she must demands of each community, and sexual behaviours and transmission. have a well-established repertoire of can be as low as ten or reach up to Facilitators receive a monthly stipend the basic abilities in written language. 30 facilitators per municipality. For of USD 50 for working part-time in They also need to be respected within the last two years, there has been the circles. Some facilitators receive the community where they reside and an average of 245 facilitators and additional resources (USD 100) from intend to work, and be aware that the ratio of facilitator per number of the government which cannot yet be the learning experience goes beyond learners equals about 1/20. guaranteed to all participants. the learners in that it also includes the facilitators themselves in a constant Facilitators are required to participate exchange process of self-develop- in a five-day pre-service training Enrolment of Learners ment and the acquisition of new abil- which includes group discussions ities and knowledge. Because of the about illiteracy, an introduction to The work of AAEA was designed long-lasting history of low schooling the APLICA approach, an overall to target mainly youths and adults. among females, their lack of time and view of the pedagogical and social Because of the gender inequalities the heavy burden of domestic duties theories developed by the Brazilian with regard to access to formal that most often lies on this group, the educator Paulo Freire, an exercise to education, which was particularly majority of facilitators are males. The identify the differences between child predominant during the civil war facilitators’ recruitment process starts and adult learning, and a guide that (1975-2002), the country has a 12 Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development
greater number of male adults with of the country’s population still live from AAEA an implementation of one higher levels of schooling who do in rural areas, and considering the or more APLICA circles. not need classes aimed at promoting extensive rainy seasons in addition basic competencies, as opposed to to the lack of efficient transportation the female counterparts. Thus, as a systems and the absence of paved Teaching / Learning result, the vast majority of the partici- roads in many areas, geographical Approaches and pants (70–80%) of the APLICA circles location constitutes an important Methodologies are women. In addition, even though issue to be addressed by AAEA. out-of-school children are not among Furthermore, a survey conducted in As previously stated, the Angolan the target groups for this programme, the country revealed that 84% of Association employs the APLICA they can participate, especially the respondents from rural areas had approach, an adaptation of the meth- those who live in more distant rural never passed grade four, whereas odology known as the Regenerated areas which often have no schools or in urban areas 53% had moved on Freirean Literacy through limited capacity to provide educa- into higher grades. In order to tackle Empowering Community Techniques tional services to all young learners. this challenge, the circles are mostly (REFLECT). REFLECT / APLICA proposes Also, within the last few years, there available in rural areas and the cities’ the integration of teaching literacy has been a greater participation of outskirts. with empowering learners with adolescents. Considering that Angola knowledge and competencies in is a very young country in terms of The desire to learn how to read order to give them self-assurance and its demographic characteristics, the and write and expand general the necessary abilities to promote average age of participants varies knowledge, the opportunity to social, political and economic from 21–35 years. improve employability and enhance development within their community. management skills as well as the This approach uses the participatory The country is organised into 18 ability to communicate in Portuguese rural appraisal techniques, created provinces, 164 municipalities and are just a few examples out of the and disseminated by Action Aid and 535 communes. The coverage of many factors which have motivated based on the teachings of Paulo the programme reaches only nine Angolans to join the APLICA circles. Freire, which aim to enable local municipalities of three provinces The minimum requirement to enrol is populations to analyse their own (Luanda, Bengo and Kwanza Sul), the individual recognition of the need reality in order to produce sustainable but has enrolled over 36,000 and importance of learning as a result changes in their surroundings. participants since its inception in of a personal decision. Students are 2000. The average annual intake of recruited by local community leaders Facilitators and participants meet in new participants is 4,000, but in 2011 from religious and public institutions the learning circles about three to there are 7,000 learners enrolled who are responsible for identifying four times a week for two hours, in the circles. Approximately 42% prospective learners and requesting usually before or after work. The term Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development 13
circle is used in order to represent the ing words, and reading, writing and to have their newly-acquired literacy type of activities and the structural numeracy activities. Examples of units skills certified, have the option of arrangements that take place in include a matrix of health in which participating in a formal assessment the learning meetings. Learners are the objective is to discuss partici- offered by the Ministry of Education. not expected to sit in desks and pants’ opinion about different kinds passively listen to the facilitators’ of treatment for diseases; a communi- instructions and lectures as in a ty map to promote a discussion of the Funding Support school-like format. Rather, learners history of the village to expand the place themselves in a semi-circle and participants’ knowledge about their The programme’s annual costs are the activities start with the creation own background; and an agricul- US$180,000, whereas the cost per of a graphic on the floor, such as a tural calendar which gives them the learner varies between US$70 and map, matrix, calendar or diagram, opportunity to discuss their working USD 100 according to the location of using various materials that include plan and one-year timetable enabling the circles. Though the government pieces of cardboards pictures, rocks, them to learn from each other and provides some limited funding, cans, construction papers and others. improve their own practices. All these including the stipends being paid to Facilitators guide all the learners units include the four-step approach a number of facilitators, the great to discuss a specific topic, usually – designing the graphic, choosing majority of resources come from a relevant to their daily lives which the generating word, learning to combination of three different sourc- then results in the final display. The read and write and taking action. The es. DVV International, a non-profit next step requires them to place the amount of time necessary to finish German organisation aimed at graphic on the wall, choose a word all the units varies across groups, but supporting and strengthening adult related to the discussion – the so- it usually takes between eight to ten education programmes around the called generating word – learn how months. world, contributes roughly 35%, to read and write it and rearrange the which is used to cover part of the syllables of the generating word to The language of instruction and of salaries of the AAEA staff and the acquire new words. Finally, learners the materials is Portuguese, though everyday running costs of the two engage in a process of discussing and not all Angolans speak the official offices. ICCO also provides about planning concrete actions based upon language as their mother tongue, 35% towards remaining expenses their previous dialogues. Actions especially in rural areas where the that not covered by public funding. may include a cleanliness campaign programme is highly concentrated. This is a Dutch inter-church organisa- around the community, meeting Because Portuguese is spoken tion that distributes global financial community and political leaders in by the vast majority at least as a and technical support to local order to advocate for improved living second language and in some circles organisations in order to promote conditions or for matters that are the dialogue is carried out in the sustainable economic development important to them, visiting peers participants’ mother tongue, commu- and democracy in the developing who have not attended classes, etc. nication is not an acute challenge for countries. The final 30% of the costs In more advanced levels, participants the success of this programme. Also, are provided by IBIS, a Danish or- are also required to produce a text in many areas circles meet in various ganisation focused on creating equal about their discussions and include locations, such as schools, facilita- access to education, especially among the newly-acquired words. tors’ houses and churches, and are poor and marginalised Africans and completely free of charge. Learning Latin Americans. Facilitators are given a copy of the so- is evaluated through a participative called Mother-Manual, a guide that assessment which engages partici- contains ten units with various topics pants, facilitators and technicians in and all the steps to be carried out in order to identify behaviour changes the circles. It includes guidance to in the personal lives of both learners discussing themes, ideas for generat- and instructors. Students who wish 14 Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development
MONITORING AND of their own circle and by the staff of habits of community members, EVALUATION the funding organisations. including non-APLICA-learners, and improving access to drinking water. The monitoring and evaluation So far, one external evaluation has An impact on the relationships system of the AAEA is currently been carried out in order to assess among community members in terms under restructure to improve its the effectiveness of the methodolog- of solidarity, better communication practices and provide well-established ical approach employed by AAEA. In and social integration has also been participatory monitoring. The main 2008, DVV International evaluated reported. For instance, there are objective is to guarantee quality the extent to which APLICA has learners who have voluntarily offered assurance of services by tracking the successfully achieved its goals in to take care of domestic chores for results of the activities and using the teaching basic literacy and numeracy peers who are unable to perform information to reformulate actions, skills, and has improved the quality these tasks, in addition to several tools and trainings. In 2010, the of life of learners and facilitators. reports of individuals who have association started carrying out Data were collected through demonstrated a greater ability to workshops to train facilitators and questionnaires, individual and group deal with conflicts within families and coordinators to monitor the circles interviews, document analyses, communities. Other benefits include in their municipalities. They used participative observations and literacy diminishing and / or eliminating the the framework Counting Seeds for and numeracy assessments. The main “culture of silence” in some com- Change, a practical guide to help result from this evaluation revealed munities, especially among females. practitioners (i.e. facilitators, trainers that learners had successfully For example, as a result of increased and coordinators) to assess the acquired basic reading, writing and knowledge about human rights, strengths, weaknesses and challenges numeracy skills as a result of their some women from a specific circle of the REFLECT programmes in an participation to the APLICA circles. carried out a protest in their commu- effective and coherent manner world- The majority of the sample was able nity to raise their voices against the wide, including Angola. Prior to the to perform as high as level four (out domestic violence they experienced. establishment of this new approach, of five) of the literacy test, meaning Furthermore, APLICA has produced part of the monitoring was carried they were able to read, comprehend results that go beyond the expected out in regular meetings, which are and answer questions about a simple outcomes, since it has benefited the still effective despite the additional text, and level three in numeracy, learners not only in their capacity as workshops implemented last year. i.e. they were able to perform basic citizens and community members, These gatherings brought together arithmetic operations. Additional but also as parents. Participation participants, facilitators, local public results showed that: in the programme has resulted in authorities, religious leaders and staff greater awareness with regard to from the Ministry of Education and ■■ there has been a constant increase the importance of education, and as AAEA to discuss, analyse and the in the number of APLICA circles; a consequence it has produced in- track progress of the circles, as well ■■ learners and facilitators have creased children’s school attendance as to identify flaws, gaps, provide displayed behaviour changes, such rates and greater parental support in ideas for further improvements and as greater awareness of the need for homework and academic activities. assess the benefits for the persons hygiene and improved sanitation, im- involved. proved knowledge about nutritional values of different crops, and a higher CHALLENGES Some of the indicators examined in degree of democracy in the deci- monitoring the programme are the sion-making processes within families The primary challenge in the imple- number of participants in the circles, and communities; mentation of the APLICA circles in learners and facilitators’ attendance, ■■ cross-cutting issues, such as Angola, according to AAEA, has been duration of implementation of circles, HIV / AIDS, have been systematically to raise public awareness about the number of days the circles meet included in facilitators’ trainings and importance of literacy and educa- and their timetables, characteristics circles; and tion for the promotion of human of participants and facilitators, ■■ AAEA has consistently advocated development. There is still a lack of assessments of reading, writing for the use of the APLICA approach understanding about the intercon- and numeracy skills and behaviour with partner organisations. nection between human rights and changes. The data collection system education, including literacy, which employs a bottom-up format, in Reports from AAEA also present the results in the low financial invest- which the facilitators report to the many benefits that the circles have ments that the federal government coordinator of their municipality who produced among learners and facilita- has provided to formal and non-for- reports to the regional supervisor. tors. First of all, a great improvement mal adult education programmes in The supervisor sends the information in the infrastructure of some Angola. Another major challenge is to the provincial coordinator who communities has been observed. Due that donors have not yet fully realised gathers information from all the to the action plans designed during that adult education activities should different localities and reports to the the sessions of the circles, learners not only target the development of national coordinator. In addition, have achieved many changes in their literacy and numeracy skills, but they observations of the circles are carried surroundings, such as building latrines should also promote the development out by the coordinators of each and meeting halls, cleaning streets of broader competencies, such as municipality who are also a facilitator and houses, improving the hygiene life skills and the empowerment of Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development 15
participants through increasing their ■■ it remains a challenge to secure model’s enabling of communities to awareness about diseases, gender sustainable financial resources toward develop a sense of ownership of the issues, democratic participation and adult literacy because donors still circles, since learners and facilita- human rights. In this sense, AAEA has have a limited understanding about tors are in charge of requesting, advocated for the Education For All the importance of giving educational executing, monitoring and assessing goals, and for the implementation of opportunities to youths, adults and the activities; and finally the estab- comprehensive non-formal adult edu- elders instead of focusing exclusively lishment of partnerships with other cation programmes in the country. on children. The promotion of adult initiatives which have promoted the education is essential not only to work in the field of adult education, Additional challenges are: empower older individuals to make such as Promoting Female Literacy in changes in their communities, fight Angola and Mozambique (Projecto de ■■ limited means of transportation poverty and increase employability, Alfabetização Feminina em Angola e and infrastructure for systematic but also to give them the necessary Moçambique, FELITAMO). distribution of learning materials; tools which they need to help and ■■ low stipends for facilitators and support their own children’s educa- coordinators which have resulted in a tion; CONTACT decrease of the number of facilitators ■■ providing literacy training is still at the same time that the number of perceived as being an act of charity Vítor Manuel Barbosa participants has grown; to the poor, rather than understand- Presidente da Direcção ■■ lack of materials for the develop- ing that having access to it is actually Associação Angolana para Educação ment of activities during the circles’ part of the basic human rights. de Adultos sessions; [email protected] ■■ lack of opportunities for facilitators to improve their own educational SUSTAINABILITY Fátima Ramos Sebastião level; Directora para Administração e ■■ high drop-out and absence rates One great challenge AAEA has faced Finanças that are a consequence of external since the inception of the APLICA cir- [email protected] and internal factors such as health cles is the lack of long-term funding problems, lack of time and lack of partnerships and strategies to secure personal motivation to attend circles sustainable investments. Despite the in a regular basis; and need for constant renegotiation with ■■ a weak monitoring system as a donors, the association has been result of major difficulties to provide able to successfully maintain over regular visits to all locations, especial- time partnerships with three different ly during rainy seasons or in the areas organisations, DVV International, where there are no paved roads. ICCO and IBIS, which have provided the bulk of the necessary funding. Due to the existing high rates of adult LESSONS LEARNED illiteracy combined with the lack of governmental actions to address The following key lessons have this problem, the need for initiatives emerged during the 11-year such as the one offered by AAEA is implementation experience of pressing, a fact that has contributed REFLECT / APLICA in the Angolan to the sustainability and expansion context: of the APLICA circles throughout Angola. At the very beginning of the ■■ adults acquire literacy and numera- programme, the circles were imple- cy skills more easily and in a shorter mented in only two municipalities period of time when the teaching of two provinces. To date the circles approach is context-based and when have reached three provinces with the contents and lessons respond to direct implementation of AAEA, and their daily needs; one additional province through the ■■ the circles and the participa- work of another civil society organi- tory approach enable not only the sation. The APLICA circles constitute development of learners, but also an one of the few projects in the country exchange between participants and that provides literacy classes in distant facilitators which further contributes rural communities. to the learning and holistic growth of the facilitators; Other factors which have strength- ■■ the promotion of self-esteem ened the work of AAEA include its among learners is essential to the positive acceptance and the active process of eliminating the “culture participation of learners and commu- of silence” as well as to stimulating nity members in promoting the circles dialogue and free expression of ideas; in their surroundings; the project 16
ETHIOPIA
Integrated Functional Adult Education
Implementing organization For example, the number of people including 76,500 women, since its Siliti Zone Education Department below the national poverty line of launch in 2010. USD 0.60 per day decreased from Languages of instruction 38.7% in 2005 to 29.6% in 2010. In Amharic, Siltegna (local language) 2015, Ethiopia aims to reduce the Aims and Objectives number of people in extreme poverty Date of inception to 22.2%. The country has reached The main objective of the programme 2010 the MDG for child mortality and is on is to increase the adult literacy rate track to achieve the goals on gender in Ethiopia’s Siliti Zone to 95% by Programme partners parity in education, HIV/AIDS, and 2015. Besides improving literacy, Addis Development Vision (a malaria. the programme also aims to teach local NGO), Action Aid Ethiopia, participants fundamental skills and Azernet Berbera Programme, Despite this progress, Ethiopia contin- knowledge that will increase the and the following Siliti Zone ues to face major challenges, such as standard of living in communities. For government agencies: agriculture, improving access to primary educa- example: health, trade and industry, tion and addressing food insecurity. women and youth affairs, and the Currently, primary education is short ■■ Gaining an understanding of their agricultural products exchange of the MDG for universal primary (national and international) rights and and cooperatives department education, with 85% coverage. The obligations; Integrated Functional Adult Education ■■ Promoting productivity and crea- Funding: Government, private programme implemented in the Siliti tivity; sector, a national NGO, and target Zone addresses all of these challenges ■■ Teaching life skills such as family communities (which currently and, therefore, fits well into Ethiopia’s planning, agriculture and disease cover a third of the costs) overall development efforts (World prevention; Bank, 2012). ■■ Teaching how to obtain and use Annual programme costs information; Approximately 3,661,000 ■■ Establishing a culture of family Birr (or USD 180,000) PROGRAMME OVERVIEW learning; and ■■ Teaching participants prob- Annual programme cost per The Integrated Functional Adult lem-solving skills that allow them to learner Education (IFAE) programme is a address and confront daily challenges Approximately 40 Birr (or USD 2) functional literacy programme that and local social, economic and politi- reaches out to adults and young peo- cal problems. ple aged 15 or older and is available COUNTRY CONTEXT to women, the disabled, and minority The programme hopes to reach groups. The main goals of the pro- around 317,000 individuals within the According to the World Bank (2014), gramme are to increase literacy rates, first five years, of which 65% should the main challenges facing Ethiopia to promote women’s empowerment, be women and young people. include the alleviation of poverty to improve participants’ health and to among its citizens and its further raise the general standards of living progress towards the Millennium within communities. The programme PROGRAMME Development Goals (MDGs). To consists of two eight-month courses IMPLEMENTATION address these issues, the Ethiopian that participants complete within two government introduced a five-year years. Topics taught include literacy, The IFAE programme is implemented development plan in 2010 called the gender issues, environmental pro- in eight Woredas (the third-level Growth and Transformation Plan tection, civic and ethical education, administrative division in Ethiopia) (GTP). The main goal of the GTP is to health, disease prevention, family and one city administration (Silti, transform Ethiopia into a middle-in- planning, and agriculture. Lanfuro, Dalocha, Hulbarege, come economy. To achieve this, the Sankura, Merab-Azernete Berbera, Ethiopian government is allocating a To date, the IFAE programme has Mesrak-Azernete Berbera, Alcho- significant share of its budget to pov- been implemented only in the Siliti Wuriro, and Werabe Town) in the Siliti erty alleviation. In recent years, these Zone. It has reached approximately Zone. Specifically, the programme efforts have led to improvements in 165,000 adults and young people, runs in 181 rural Kebeles (the smallest the standard of living of Ethiopians. administrative unit in Ethiopia, Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development 17 comparable to a neighbourhood) and sible for translating and adjusting IMPACT AND CHALLENGES 71 urban Kebeles. the teaching material in order to tailor them to local circumstances. In The programme takes two years addition, programme facilitators use Impact and Achievements to complete and consists of two other equipment, such as agricul- courses, each of eight months’ tural tools and cleaning utensils, to The IFAE programme has a positive duration. Teaching takes place for conduct teaching. impact on the standard of living, two hours a day, three days a week, education, income, health and or, alternatively, three hours a day for social status of participants. Women two days a week. Facilitators usually Facilitators experience empowerment as a result conduct classes in schools, alternative of participating in the programme. basic education centres and other Paid teachers, volunteers and uni- For example, some female partici- Kebele facilities. The programme’s versity students conduct the classes. pants have formed women’s groups partners, Addis Development Vision There are around 50 participants that offer support when one member and Action Aid Azerenet-Berebera, for every teacher. Most facilitators of the group becomes sick or faces assist facilitators in raising awareness come from the local communities. other hardships. Women also become of the programme. They are required to know the local more aware of their rights, which language and to be familiar with enables them to improve their access the traditions and culture of the to land, electricity and water. The Teaching and Learning: locality. Facilitators receive training social status of women also increases Approaches and in the form of workshops and as they start to gain decision-making Methodologies seminars at regional, Woreda and power within the family. In 2013, Kebele levels. Training for facilitators women made up close to 50% The teaching methodology used is includes sessions on andragogy, adult of programme graduates (10,083 active and participatory. Facilitators psychology, learning assessments, graduates out of 24,382). often link literacy training to everyday and classroom management. Addis topics. For example, when facilitators Development Vision and Action Aid Participants increase their literacy teach about Malaria, they educate Azerenet-Berebera also help to recruit and numeracy abilities. Children also participants about the symptoms, and train facilitators. Teachers receive indirectly benefit from the pro- transmission, treatment and preven- an average monthly salary of 600 Birr gramme as better-educated parents tion of Malaria, while also telling (approximately USD 30) tend to provide better support to learners how to spell words and their children, by encouraging them phrases related to the disease. to study and by providing them with MONITORING AND educational materials. In participating EVALUATION OF THE communities, school drop-out rates Programme Content and PROGRAMME decreased from 7.9% in 2012 to 1.5% Teaching Material in 2014. The monitoring and evaluation of the The learners’ needs are determined programme is carried out by Woreda There are also positive health through face-to-face interviews education officers who regularly outcomes associated with the IFAE conducted by regional facilitators. collect data to monitor the progress programme. Parents tend to vaccinate The curriculum is then developed to of the programme. Each officer their children more frequently and reflect the interests of the learners covers six education centres and mothers are more likely to understand and the needs of the community in conducts a review of the programme the dangers of pregnancy, to receive question. The needs assessment of on a quarterly basis. In addition, pre- and post-natal health care learners happens at the Kebele level. programme implementers distribute and to engage in family planning. However, the Ministry of Education an annual census questionnaire on In addition, the personal hygiene dictates that the learning content the development of the skills training of participants also improves. For in all Kebeles should cover its core programme to each Woreda. example, after participating in this curriculum. programme, some participants and their families began to construct and Facilitators generally base the content Accreditation Mechanisms utilize latrines. on the interests of the participants, which often means combining The local authority issues certificates The programme also has a positive numeracy and literacy training with to participants who complete the first influence on the income and nu- income-generating and livelihood year and to those who graduate after trition of participants’ households. topics. The main subjects covered two years on the programme. Participants start to use fertilizers in the programme include literacy, and apply new agricultural practices gender, environmental protection, to improve crop yield. Households civic and ethical education, health, diversify their agricultural activities disease prevention, family planning, to reduce malnutrition. The pro- and agriculture. Overall, facilitators gramme’s training in technical and use around 20,000 textbooks and business development skills contrib- manuals. Local officers are respon- utes to rising incomes. Learners also 18 Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development start to save more as they become SUSTAINABILITY more familiar with the concept of saving. The sustainability of the programme is achieved through an arrangement that organizes participants into Challenges different community-level groups and committees. For example, women Challenges facing the programme organize themselves into women’s include: groups. In addition, participants form technical, education, training ■■ High staff turnover due to small and supervision committees. These salaries; groups receive financial and technical ■■ Lack of trained personnel; support from the government. ■■ Lack of collaboration among facili- Through their membership in tators and partners; these groups, participants gain a ■■ Additional costs for contractors responsible role and gain a sense of writing textbooks and manuals; ownership over the programme. The ■■ In some Woredas, there is less sup- community-based groups promote port for the empowerment of women adult education and contribute due to cultural prejudice; material, financial and staff resources ■■ Participant drop-out rates due to to building new learning centres and child-raising duties, especially when improving existing ones. children go to school and they have to take care of all domestic activities; The community-based groups also and enable participants to access individ- ■■ Not every learner receives his or ual loans and improve social cohesion her own textbook and facilitators within a community. Therefore, they have to share manuals. play an important role in poverty reduction, which further promotes the sustainability of the programme’s LESSONS LEARNED positive outcomes. In addition, the improved social status of women, In the beginning in 2010, the promoted by the women’s groups, is programme ran one learning centre especially important in maintaining per Kebele. Over time, the number of the positive benefits of the pro- learning centres per Kebele increased gramme. Regional education bureaus to six training centres. In the process, further promote the sustainability of facilitators received more training the programme by providing political and additional staff joined the support for further functional literacy programme, including mentors and education. supervisors. The government adjusted its financial contributions, and the programme facilitators changed CONTACT the structure of the programme to clusters consisting of between three Zeyne Bilka Mohammed and five Kebeles. The purpose of Zonal Education Department Head these clusters is to share financial, Siliti Zone, Worabe Town, Ethiopia labour and material resources among Telephone/Fax: +251467710499 learning centres and facilitators Email: [email protected] within the cluster. Most importantly, programme implementers also tried to extend the practices from the best-performing learning centres (in terms of access, quality and partic- ipation) to other learning centres. Looking back, programme facilitators feel that the programme should have been scaled up in order to reach more poor and vulnerable people. In the future, it will be a focus for government agencies to scale up the programme. 19
GAMBIA
Community-Based Forestry Management Programme
Implementing Organization youth and adult population, respec- THE COMMUNITY-BASED The government of the Gambia tively, are illiterate. In addition, heavy FORESTRY MANAGEMENT (through the Forestry Department) dependence on subsistence farming PROGRAMME (CBFMP) in partnership with local NGOs has also led to massive deforestation such as the National Consultancy and environmental degradation, an The CBFMP is an integrated life on Forestry Extension Services and aspect which has increased poverty skills and ecological (environmental) Training (NACO), Fight Against levels in rural areas where about 63 management training programme Social and Economic Exclusion % of the country’s population reside. which, as noted above, is based on (FASE), the National Beekeepers’ Current estimates suggest that 43 % the GFMC or the Community Forest Association of the Gambia (NBAG) of the total land area in the Gambia is Concept (CFC). and the Jamorai Timber and still covered by forests, 78 % of which Firewood Federation (JATIFIF) are severely degraded. Aims and Objectives Language of Instruction In order to address this situation, the English and African languages Gambian government, with support The CFC and thus the CBFMP is (e.g. Mandinka, Bambara, Wolof, from FAO and the German govern- basically a participatory forest man- Pulaar, Soninké and Jola) ment through the Gambian-German agement approach the basic aim of Forestry Project (GGFP) and various which is to transfer forest ownership Funding local NGOs, has been spearheading and user rights from the state to local The government of the Gambia; the establishment of community communities in order to: the Food and Agriculture forests and community-based forestry Organization of the United Nations projects since the early 1990s. To ■■ promote literacy development and (FAO) and the government of this end, the government adapted lifelong learning; Germany through the Gambian- the Community Forestry Concept ■■ stimulate collective attitudinal German Forestry Project (GGFP) (developed by FAO, see below) and changes towards natural resources in introduced the Gambian Forest order to promote sustainable environ- Date of Inception Management Concept (GFMC) mental conservation; 2001 through the Gambian Forestry Act ■■ assist rural households to achieve (1995). In addition, the state also sustainable livelihoods (i.e. to increase established the National Forest Fund their income-earning capacity) CONTEXT AND (NFF, 1996) and the National Forestry through skills training in sustainable BACKGROUND Action Plan (NFAP, the latest being for and community-centred management the 2001 – 2010 period). The principal and utilisation of forestry resources The Republic of the Gambia is one aim of these policy instruments was and products; of the least developed and poorest to promote development, social em- ■■ promote rural development; social countries in Africa, with an economy powerment (poverty alleviation) and transformation and empowerment that is heavily dependent on agricul- environmental conservation through by enabling the rural population to ture and the processing of agricultural participatory or community-based own and actively participate in the products. The agricultural sector management and exploitation or management and exploitation of accounts for about 30 % of the utilisation of forests and forest community forests, and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and resources. It is on the basis of this ■■ assist rural communities in employs over 70 % of the total labour enabling policy environment that adapting traditional land use systems force. The heavy dependence on the Gambian government instituted according to the recent development agriculture has impeded the country’s the Community-Based Forestry of both human and natural resources; development and thus the state’s Management Programme (CBFMP) in and finally capacity to provide its people with 2001. ■■ empower local communities to basic amenities including access to become effective and environmental- alternative livelihood and educational ly conscious natural resource-based opportunities. As a result, about 58 entrepreneurs. % of the population live in absolute poverty (i.e. on less than US$1 per day) and about 36% and 55% of the 20 Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development
PROGRAMME ■■ using participatory methods and In addition and in order to ensure IMPLEMENTATION: tools for selecting viable products for local ownership of programme APPROACHES AND the community-based enterprises; activities, programme implementers METHODOLOGIES ■■ conducting analysis based on the also assist participating communities four areas of Enterprise Development in establishing Community Forest The GFMC endeavours to promote (Social/ Institutional, Science/Technol- Committees (CFCs) or Village rural or community development ogy, Resource/Environment, Market/ Development Committees whose and social empowerment by directly Economy); members are elected by the local linking forest management and ■■ conducting surveys (including re- population. These Committees are conservation activities to basic life source and market surveys) on forest trained by project-implementing skills training and income-generating products at district and divisional partners and are, thereafter, entrust- opportunities. To this end, the CBFMP levels; ed with the overall responsibility of is implemented through a holistic and ■■ creating interest groups for select- spearheading / planning, coordinating integrated approach which provides ed products; and managing the implementation participants with training in: ■■ developing enterprise develop- of the programme at the local ment plans; level, including the initiation of skills ■■ literacy (basic and functional litera- ■■ monitoring the implementation of training and natural resource-based cy; continuing education); enterprise plans; and income generating activities. The ■■ livelihood skills training and sup- ■■ linking with appropriate sources of Committees are also responsible for port to establish income generation enterprise development support. coordinating the recruitment and activities / projects (in, for example, training of programme facilitators or handicraft production; beekeeping; The programme partners have also instructors as well as for mobilising cash crop production; sustainable developed a package of educational other community members to firewood harvesting and timber training materials in local languages participate in the programme. production); for use by field trainers in conducting ■■ civic and health education; and training activities in the communities. ■■ environmental management / In addition to conducting skills PROGRAMME IMPACT conservation. training activities to participating communities, field trainers are also The programme’s impact can be seen The CBFMP is currently being imple- responsible for mobilising communi- in different realms: mented in three divisions / regions ties to participate in the programme of the country: Western Division, as well as for advising participating Policy impact: Central River Division and Lower River groups and communities on issues Division. Currently, over 500 villages related to general community ■■ The move towards Community or communities are participating in development, planning and imple- Forest (CF) management and sustain- the programme, managing more than mentation of community-based forest able utilisation, as stated in Forest 300 Community Forests covering over enterprise development projects. Act, becomes real 24 000 hectares of Gambian forest. ■■ Participation of communities in participatory forest management Community Mobilisation increases Capacity Building: Recruitment and Training It is of utmost importance that Social impact of Facilitators / Trainers from the very beginning all the stakeholders including local leaders ■■ Increasing the consideration of In order to ensure the effective and authorities of a community, gender aspects and sustainable implementation of such as chiefs, village heads, elders, ■■ Promoting the benefit of working the CBFMP, FAO provides ongoing household heads and women leaders, together, benefiting from a synergy technical skills training and support as well as forest user groups, are of efforts in participatory forest management actively involved in all phases of the ■■ Reducing friction between the and community-based forest programme implementation. This stakeholders enterprise development strategies includes assessing forest conditions ■■ Creating more employment oppor- to professional personnel from the and development of options, plan- tunities Department of Forestry and other ning and implementing management ■■ Creating a platform for informa- programme-implementing partners. activities. tion exchange In addition, field trainers or extension workers from diverse technical fields The mobilisation of the communities Ecological impact including agriculture, forestry and to participate in the programme is education have also been recruited primarily conducted by field extension ■■ An increase in consciousness of and provided with technical training workers or trainers and community forest utilisation methods and support in the implementation of leaders through community-based ■■ An in crease in environmental the CBFMP. In general, the Training of sensitisation activities and civic knowledge and awareness Trainers (ToT) programme focuses on education programmes as depicted in ■■ A reduction of illegal forest utili- the following key areas: the pictures below: sation Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development 21
MONITORING AND National Forest Fund (NFF) while 85 EVALUATION % remain in the communities. The funds that remain in the communities The Community Forests management are used to support various commu- develops a three-year or a five-year nity development initiatives, including management plan based on the the building of schools, mosques, forest assessment studies they seed stores and community centres, conduct. The plan is developed by and micro-financing of communi- the Communities into a work plan. ty-based income-generating projects. A copy is sent to the Department of This financial arrangement has further Forestry which would be used as a motivated local communities to sup- monitoring and evaluation tool and port the programme and participate also a prerequisite for gratis issue of in it. Last but not least, the active a license for marketing products. A involvement and participation of local Natural Resource facilitation team is communities has also been central to developed in the field which works the sustainability of the programme. directly with the Community Forests. The team monitors the farmers’ performance and progress based on SOURCES their own plans and also assesses the constraints and limitations. ■■ FAO, 2005, Empowering commu- nities through forestry: Communi- ty-based enterprise development in LESSONS LEARNED the Gambia ■■ Community-based forest enter- Experience demonstrates that the prise development in The Gambia success, effectiveness and sustainabil- ■■ S. Blaschke, A. Dampha & K Cam- ity of the CBFMP have largely been a era, 2005: Empowering communities result of: through forestry: The Market Analysis and Development (MA & D) Experi- ■■ the existence of strong working ence in the Gambia networks between the state, commu- ■■ Jammeh, M. L. Participatory forest nity leaders and local and internation- management in the Gambia al NGOs; ■■ Camara. H., 2011, “Literacy ■■ the promotion community own- and Sustainable Economic Growth ership of the programme and active through Participatory forest manage- participation in programme activities; ment in the Gambia”. ■■ the integration of natural re- source conservation activities into income-generating projects; and CONTACT ■■ the provision of appropriate and relevant training to all stakeholders Mr. Hatab Camara (capacity building and skills training). Market Analysis and Development Coordinator Department of Forestry SUSTAINABILITY P.O.box 504, Banjul Phone: +22 06 32 13 31 / +22 03 65 It can be argued that the long-term 74 15 / +22 04 22 75 37 sustainability of the CBFMP is assured Fax: +22 04 22 47 65 primarily because the project enjoys Email: [email protected] / the unwavering support of its primary [email protected] targets and beneficiaries, the rural communities, as well as local and international NGOs. In addition and apart from having assured and long-term funding from international NGOs and the state, the financial sustainability of the programme has also been ensured through the implementation of a benefit sharing scheme. Through this scheme, 15 % of the funds generated by the project go to and are administered by the central government under the 22
GHANA
Literacy and Community Development Programme
Implementing Organization compared with 33% of men. Regional and often marginalised social groups Pamoja Ghana rates of illiteracy also differ sharply. such as women, youth, prison For instance, while the rate of inmates, nomads and people living Language of Instruction illiteracy in the Greater Accra Region with disabilities. Not surprisingly, the Local language / mother tongue and in Ashanti is 21% and 40% programme is more active in rural respectively, it rises to an alarming than in urban settlements. Programme Partners 54% in the Brong Ahafo Region and ActionAid Ghana (AAG, main) and 76% in the three Northern regions. The LCDP not only facilitates literacy Rights and Voices Initiative (RAVI) In light of this, Pamoja Ghana – a skills development among adults but network of REFLECT Practitioners also provides participants with op- from 32 local organizations – has in- portunities to develop practical and CONTEXT AND stituted the Literacy and Community sustainable life skills in a wide-range BACKGROUND Development Programme (LCDP) in of fields including: an effort to combat illiteracy and to Since gaining independence in 1957, promote socio-economic develop- ■■ Health (HIV/AIDS, maternal health, Ghana has increasingly prioritized the ment and empowerment among the infant mortality, family planning, development of education and the poor and underprivileged groups personal hygiene; sanitation; female eradication of illiteracy as a strategy particularly women and youth. genital mutilation; malaria prevention of promoting development and social and family nutrition); empowerment. Accordingly, over ■■ Civic education (leadership train- the past five decades, the State has THE LITERACY ing, human rights awareness, human instituted various educational acts, AND COMMUNITY security, democratic governance; the most fundamental being the DEVELOPMENT conflict management and resolution; Education Act of 1961 and the 1992 PROGRAMME (LCDP) gender education including domestic Constitution (article 38, sub-section violence, genital mutilation and rape); 2) which laid the legal basis for the The LCDP is an intergenerational, ■■ Livelihood skills training/ capacity provision of education as a basic right integrated and multilingual literacy building (food production and securi- for all citizens. Additionally, in order and social development programme. ty, income generation and communi- to make education more accessible to It was officially launched by Pamoja ty development); all in line with its constitutional obli- Ghana with financial and technical ■■ Environmental management / gations, the State in partnership with support from Action Aid Ghana conservation. NGOs has also instituted a number (AAG). Since then, Pamoja has of educational programmes such as established numerous REFLECT the Free and Compulsory Universal learning circles or groups across the Aims and Objectives Basic Education (FCUBE, 1995). As entire country and currently, there are a result of these proactive efforts, about 3,340 active participants. The The programme endeavours to: the primary and secondary school majority of the active learning circles net enrolments and, by extension, are in the Northern Regions which, ■■ Combat illiteracy and poverty in the overall literacy rates have grown as noted, are not only amongst the the country particularly among the steadily over the years. For instance, poorest but also have some of the poor and vulnerable groups such as the youth and adult literacy rates are highest illiteracy rates in the country. women and youth; currently estimated to be 80% and Other participating circles are in ■■ Empower the poor and vulnerable 75%, respectively. Brong Ahafo, Eastern Greater Accra members of society through literacy and the western Region. and livelihood skills training in order Yet, despite Ghana’s educational to enable them to identify and find achievements, illiteracy remains Although the LCDP is an inclusive practical and sustainable solutions to pervasive in the country particularly literacy and socio-economic the challenges they encounter in daily among women, the poor and in development programme which life as well as to participate fully in underdeveloped regions. Estimates targets every adult person (aged 15 community and national development suggest that about 42% of the adult years and above) with little or no processes; population is illiterate and about 50% formal education, specific efforts are ■■ Promote personal and societal of Ghanaian women are illiterate, however made to target vulnerable development; Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development 23
■■ Promote gender equity; Teaching-Learning central to the teaching-learning ■■ Raise human rights awareness Approaches and Methods process (see pictures below). In among the poor and vulnerable addition, the facilitator is also trained members of society; Pamoja has established communi- and encouraged to progressively ■■ Promote social networking and ty-based literacy learning circles or introduce literacy and numeracy skills organisation for community develop- groups. Although the programme training into the learning process by ment. does not have a fixed curriculum, highlighting key words, sentences teaching-learning materials (these are and numbers that are central and rel- developed locally in order to capture evant to the learning activities. In so PROGRAMME and address local needs and challeng- doing, the REFLECT approach enables IMPLEMENTATION: es) or official starting dates, learning participants not only to acquire or APPROACHES AND circles are expected to meet 2 to 4 improve their literacy skills but also to METHODOLOGIES times a week for about two to three gain life skills necessary for personal hours, over the two-year duration of and community development. the programme. Enrolment of learners Pamoja employs the Regenerated Monitoring and Evaluation Pamoja employs various strategies to Freirean Literacy through enrol participants into the pro- Empowering Community Techniques Pamoja engages both internal and gramme, the most critical being com- (REFLECT), a right-based, structured external professionals to monitor and munity-based advocacy and aware- and participatory approach to adult evaluate programme activities and ness campaigns aimed at briefing the learning and social development learning outcomes on an ongoing community about the importance of that uses Participatory Rural basis. Furthermore, officials from the REFLECT programme for personal Appraisal (PRA) tools and materials Pamoja also undertakes field visits and community development as well such as maps, calendars, matrices to review the learning process and as to encourage adults to participate and diagrams to assist learners in programme impact. in the REFLECT learning circles based identifying and solving personal and in their communities. In addition, community development challenges. the Network also encourages The REFLECT approach to learning PROGRAMME IMPACT current programme participants but is therefore learner-centred and, AND CHALLENGES especially the established REFLECT as such, rather than lecturing to Literacy Committees to encourage learners, facilitators are encouraged other members of society to join the to assist learners to critically analyse Impact learning circles or to assist the circles their existential needs and problems. to identify, plan and implement For example, what resources they The LCDP has had some concrete developmental activities in their com- need to solve the problems, where benefits for both the learners, their munities. In so doing, the programme and how they can get the necessary families and communities and by creates opportunities for entire resources and, most importantly, to extension, the entire nation. Key communities to actively participate identify the course of action needed benefits include: in community activities regardless of to solve the problems or to satisfy whether or not they formally belong their needs. Active group discussions/ ■■ Apart from creating opportunities to a REFLECT learning circle. debates, simulations and question for hundreds of adults and school and answer strategies are therefore drop-out children to acquire basic 24 Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development
literacy and life skills, the programme are likely to worsen because Action strategies to insure the programme’s has also supported 3 women, 7 girls Aid Ghana – the main sponsor – has sustainability. These include: and 11 boys from 9 communities to reduced funding for the programme. enrol in formal education. ■■ Equipping existing REFLECT Circles ■■ Many learners have become Turn-over of facilitators: generally, with the necessary learning resources empowered and moved on to hold the programme has failed to return such as reading and writing materials; positions in the district assemblies trained facilitators due to Pamoja and ■■ Allocate funds to support some in their localities. Others have risen the learning circles’ inability to remu- identified Action Points of Reflect to become elders in their various nerate them for their services. This circles; religions as they can now read and has increased programme costs as ■■ Intensification of fundraising write. high-staff turn over has necessitated efforts; ■■ Many of the young people who constant training of new facilitators. ■■ Build alliances with networks in had been forced out of school due to, education, health, human rights, for example, poverty, were assisted governance and policy. to continue learning informally under LESSONS LEARNED the programme and eventually to Sources re-enrol in the formal education sys- REFLECT programmes are cheap to tem or to engage in viable communi- implement because they require little ■■ Ama Achiaa Amankwah, 12 June ty-based developmental activities. expertise in the development of the 2009; Ghana: Pamoja Forum Recog- curriculum and teaching-learning nizes Youth And Adult Literacy As Key materials which, as noted above, are to Development Challenges locally developed by the facilitator ■■ Aryeetey, E. and Kwakye, E. (2005) with support from learning circle Policy case study: Functional Literacy, Despite the positive impact of the members. National Functional Programme (NFLP programme on the lives of ordinary II) in Ghana people, the implementation of the The integration of literacy skills programme has been encumbered training with life skills training and by practical and technical challenges community development projects CONTACT including: is critical in motivating adults to participate in learning activities. Millicent Akoto Lack of adequate funding: although National Coordinator the programme does not require Pamoja Ghana Reflect Network, huge financial investments, the PROGRAMME P. O. Box LG 233, Legon, lack of adequate funding has SUSTAINABILITY Accra. Ghana limited Pamoja’s ability to expand Phone: (233) 243 212 754 the programme as well as to finance The key indicator of programme Email contact: akotomillicent@yahoo. community projects that learners sustainability is the fact that com- co.uk; [email protected]. have identified as being central to munities own the programme and their communities’ development. proactively contribute towards its The latter is often one of the key continuity. The programme has also factors that demotivates learners been replicated in other areas. In from continuing to participate in the addition, Pamoja has formulated key programme. Financial challenges 25
NAMIBIA
NaDEET Environmental Literacy Projects
Implementing Organization funding through the Directorate of team of assistants and three groups Namib Desert Environmental Adult Literacy. of Raleigh International volunteers. At Education Trust (NaDEET) the time, funds were extremely limit- Improving literacy is not the only ed and the centre was built primarily Language of Instruction educational challenge facing Namibia. using recycled materials donated by English and mother tongue (with The lack of awareness of environmen- individuals. Almost everything was translation and teacher assistance) tal issues is another pressing concern, done by hand as there were few stemming largely from poor under- power tools available. The centre Funding standing of the definition, causes and had six accommodation units with European Union local grant (about impacts of environmental problems. shower and toilet facilities and a main 50%); UNESCO and other UN For example, many Namibians building (which included a classroom agencies (10%); local company misunderstand the concept of climate and kitchen). grants (10%); participants own change and use the term to refer contribution (10%); and private to normal weather events. This is NaDEET’s founders soon noticed individuals/donors (20%). particularly problematic given the a ‘disconnect’ between what was negative impact climate change being taught and what was being Programme Partners continues to have on Namibian learned. Rather than being a model Funding: European Commission, communities. Many Namibians do not of environmental living in everything UNESCO, UNDP-Global Environment believe that their actions can make that it did, the centre was purely Fund, Ministry of Environment and a difference, while others are unsure focused on its subject and did not Tourism, Deutsche Gesellschaft für what to do to improve the environ- take a sufficiently holistic approach. Internationale Zusammenarbeit ment. There is a long-standing need It made little sense to teach students Implementing: Ministry of Education, for better environmental education in about reducing environmental impact Namibian Environmental Education the country. while taps leaked in the centre’s Network, Ministry of Environment bathrooms. The centre proposed a and Tourism, UNESCO; Others – Namibian environmental education ‘practice what we teach’ approach Namibian Environment Wildlife began in the late 1980s and the and has since integrated this phi- Society, Freundschaft mit NaDEET, early 1990s when the government, losophy into its infrastructure and Wilde Ganzen, Biosphere Expeditions. in partnership with a number of teaching practices. NaDEET believes non-governmental organizations, that the facility itself plays a major Annual Programme Costs established the first ‘true’ envi- part in the learning experience of par- N $400,000 (USD 37,600) ronmental education centres for ticipants. All the facilities (bathroom, Namibian youth. Outdoor camps had stove, bed, etc.) are designed in a Annual cost per learner existed before but were more focused way to inspire the people studying at Varies depending on how the on survival training rather than the the centre to integrate the principles learner is engaged (for example, a environment. The new centres, which of sustainability into their daily lives. NaDEET centre programme costs still exist today, are primarily located N $800 – or USD 75 – per person, north of Windhoek, in areas like To fulfil its aims, NaDEET has while a partner organisation Etosha National Park, and are focused established environmental education implementing the publications on nature and wildlife. programmes at its centre, as well as in the classroom has a cost of N an environmental literacy project and $5 – or USD 0.09 – per learner). A group of passionate citizens felt community development through there was a need for environmental outreach activity. education for Namibians living in COUNTRY CONTEXT the Namib Desert. They started the Namib Desert Environmental PROGRAMME OVERVIEW Education has been a national priority Education Trust (NaDEET), a non-prof- in Namibia since independence was it organization offering environmental The environmental literacy project achieved in 1990. The Namibian education, with a centre on the complements the core programme government has a policy of financing NamibRand Nature Reserve in of environmental education at the literacy programmes and allocates Namibia’s southern Hardap Region. NaDEET centre and the outreach and almost a quarter (22%) of its budget community development work. These to education (UNESCO, 2014). The The centre was established in 2003 programmes give participants first- Ministry of Education has increased by a construction manager, a small hand experience of sustainable living. 26 Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development
Participants are taught to understand It’s Time to Grow: a pre-primary ■■ To provide ongoing publications environmental problems and their environmental pack that includes on environmental issues for Namibi- solutions, in theory, with a range of four small booklets, a growth chart, ans in an easy-to-read format. environmental publications sup- a pack of crayons and seed paper to ■■ To maintain and foster a forum for porting practical activities. Children plant. school children, teachers and envi- and adult (mostly rural women) ronmental education practitioners to participants learn about sustainability, It’s Time to Change: a prima- learn and share about the Namibian biodiversity and the balance between ry-school activity workbook. environment and the challenges it humans and the environment. They faces. learn not just by seeing and hearing, It’s Time to Work: a second- ■■ To increase and improve the envi- but by doing and living. At the ary-school career guide to technical ronmental literature available to Na- NaDEET centre, theory meets practice and vocational training in a green mibian readers in their own country. so that participants are empowered economy. to make a difference in their homes and communities. It’s Time to be Effcient: a guide PROGRAMME for adults to managing a sustainable IMPLEMENTATION NaDEET’s environmental literacy pro- household. ject aims to produce locally written and relevant literature about the It’s Time to Solar Cook: a solar Structure and Mechanism Namibian natural environment and cooking guide for adults. sustainable living. The publications The environmental literature is on environmental literacy (presented It’s Time to Identify: a biodiversity delivered in the following ways: below) are a core component of the identification booklet for all ages. project, reinforcing and deepening NaDEET centre programmes: participants’ understanding of the Around 60,000 It’s Time to… book- Participants come in organized environment. They give students lets have been distributed directly groups of up to 40 for a residential the opportunity to reflect on their to schools and at environmental programme lasting from Monday to real-life experiences and learn the education workshops in order to Friday. value of written literature as a means reinforce the sustainability practices of gaining more information. taught at the centre. The publications NaDEET outreach: Follow-up and are also available to the public as free additional outreach is conducted with The project’s publications target a PDFs downloadable from the centre’s three selected communities and on broad audience and take a fun and website. demand. creative approach to giving readers the resources they need to tackle Direct mailing: Readers can sign up environmental issues. The publica- Aims and Objectives to the Bush Telegraph subscriber list tions are: to receive two issues per annum. NaDEET, as an organization, aims to encourage Namibians to participate Partners (e.g. schools and other Bush Telegraph in finding practical solutions to local NGOs): They request copies of and national environmental issues specific publications to support their The Bush Telegraph is a youth mag- and to create a healthy and sustaina- educational learning activities. azine, available for free to learners, ble future for all. The following aims educators and citizens in Namibia. guide the organisation: Since its inception, its readership has TEACHING AND LEARNING: grown from just 500 to more than ■■ To provide a non-profit environ- APPROACHES AND 18,000 (around half of the readership mental education service for all, METHODOLOGIES of the Namibian national newspaper). especially those from underprivileged The Bush Telegraph is produced areas of Namibia. The duration of the courses varies. twice a year and covers a variety ■■ To build capacity at all levels of The NaDEET centre runs approximate- of environmental topics relevant to the environmental education sector, ly 30 one-week programmes each Namibia. It is estimated that some focused on addressing relevant year, as well as outreach programmes 72,000 readers have been engaged environmental issues, supporting from one day in duration. Partners in the topic through articles, activity the Namibian school curriculum, and also offer programmes of varying suggestions, games, contests and practising hands-on, experiential length. The NaDEET programme runs pictures. learning and learner-centred educa- in various locations, with the main ac- tional methods. tivities taking place at its centre. Each ■■ To engage in education, advocacy year, between 18,000 and 20,000 It’s Time to… and awareness of the critical role of learners participate, more than 80% sustainable living in a finite, semi-arid of them continuing students. The The It’s Time to… series of booklets environment. average number of learners per group aims to promote sustainability to is 40. The programme takes a hands- a wider audience. It comprises six NaDEET’s environmental literacy on, experiential approach to learning, publications: project aims: offering a range of activities, from Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development 27
theoretical to practical learning, the United Nations. The materials All facilitators are qualified in nature which are applied in sustainable living used are various, including, though conservation and/or education and practices. There is also an emphasis not limited to, journals, booklets and are given additional in-house training. on team-work and cooperation. Here experimental material. The content NaDEET offers an education training is an example of how water conserva- is related to the environment and programme once a year. tion is taught at the NaDEET centre’s focused on the four main areas of primary-school programme, with energy, water, waste and biodiversity. photographs illustrating each stage: Material is developed by NaDEET’s Learner Assessment staff under the guidance of the In the first photograph, children director. It draws inspiration and The programme targets school are asked to recall what they have relevance from the centre-based children, out-of-school youth, adults learned in school by drawing a programmes. Activities are tested out with poor literacy, women and girls, water cycle in their sustainable-living by programme participants. and minority groups. Learners are journals. recruited through school visits and the sending out of invitations to visit Water cycle concepts of evaporation Recruitment and Training NaDEET. Today, most participants and transpiration are tested out and of Facilitators are drawn from schools which have explored in nature. previously taken part in the project, NaDEET has grown to employ nine with some new schools which heard The importance of saving water and permanent staff members, supported about the programme through word knowing how much is used is prac- by several interns and volunteers. of mouth. Needs are determined in tised during the daily water count. NaDEET opened a small head office conjunction with the school principal in Swakopmund at the beginning of and accompanying teachers. The Sustainable living practices are 2014 in order to make the procedures appropriate programme level and implemented through the use of a more efficient, develop strategic content are assigned accordingly. As personal ‘recycled’ water bottle. partnerships and expand operations the project is implemented through to other areas of the country. The a variety of mechanisms, methods organization is governed by a board of monitoring and evaluation vary. Programme Content and of trustees. The facilitators involved NaDEET’s main monitoring and evalu- Teaching Material in the programme are full-time, paid ation activities take place at its centre employees. Remuneration ranges in the form of surveys, conducted be- The content of the materials is from N $10,000 to N $30,000 (equiv- fore and after the programme, which determined by NaDEET’s overall alent to between USD 940 and USD measure awareness and understand- mission, current affairs, and relevant 2,820). The facilitator/learner ratio is ing of environmental topics. These international days, as promoted by one facilitator to every 20 learners. are analysed annually to identify areas 28 Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development
2. The sustainability of the project’s that need further improvements and is awaiting feedback from a formal publications, which have been to measure changes in behaviour and evaluation of its pre-primary school produced for more than 11 years, attitudes of programme participants publication. The programme also demonstrating the financial com- with regard to sustainable devel- relies on progress indicators such as mitment of the donors and the opment. The development of the increasing participation (over 9,000 institutional capacity. project’s publications involves their participants at the centre over 10 being piloted with various relevant years) and the thousands of readers audiences wherever possible. The whose continuing interest is a clear 3. Local and international recognition centre has no accreditation mech- signal of the value of the work. of its publications, which have anism. Throughout the programme received a number of Eco-Media participants are asked questions and, Awards, leading to the work being at the end of the week, participate IMPACT AND showcased at UNESCO events in an environmental quiz to assess ACHIEVEMENTS worldwide. what they have learned. In some groups, a ‘Certificate of Participation’ An external evaluation (conducted by 4. The cost-effectiveness of the is offered. The enthusiastic feedback Ashby Associates) was commissioned programme, due to its being of participants remains the clearest in 2013 to assess the impact the integrated within other activities indicator of success. programme has had on participants. and its use of partnerships to There is a link to the report at the distribute materials to institutions, end of this case study. The results such as the Ministry of Educa- Monitoring and Evaluation varied depending on the level of tion, after-school programmes engagement and the community and environmental clubs, where An evaluation of the programme to which the learner belonged. The teachers use the material in their is conducted annually, considering project’s ongoing outreach efforts lesson plans. the percentage of returning schools, provide an opportunity to work with increases in readership numbers, and communities and enable them to 5. Reaching a wide range of readers other ad hoc feedback. An example assess the value and relevance of the with the project’s publications, of this is the feedback received programme. NaDEET’s environmental from pre-primary to pensioners, from a partner organization, which literacy project has achieved a great and ensuring wide access to the reported using the Bush Telegraph deal over the years, including: programme by targeting rural as a learning material for an envi- areas in the south of Namibia. ronmental studies class for technical 1. A relatively high print-run of More than half of all participants and vocational training students. 18,000 copies for the Bush Tel- are women. The centre has conducted informal egraph, illustrating the demand evaluations of its publications and from readers for this publication. Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development 29
CHALLENGES variety of approaches to ensure the what they have learned with their financial sustainability of the project communities. A recent example is One of the biggest challenges and to become more independent an issue of the Bush Telegraph on concerns access to NaDEET’s of donors. Currently, the majority of solutions to pollution, which provided environmental literacy materials. At publications are externally funded. step-by-step instructions to assist in present, NaDEET does not have the However, NaDEET has moved from a the construction of alternative fuel resources to publish its materials in publication-to-publication approach ‘bricks’ from paper litter. Participants languages other than English and to funding to a longer-term, pro- learn about this at the NaDEET Afrikaans. It would like to publish ject-based funding approach that centre and can use the publication to both the Bush Telegraph and the It’s includes the publications as key to the demonstrate what they have learned Time to… series in the 11 different programme’s overall objectives. For to their family and community mem- indigenous languages spoken in some publications, the programme bers, thereby increasing the environ- Namibia. However, the costs and has gained permission from the mental awareness and understanding logistics involved would require original funders to sell copies in of the whole community. enormous additional resources that order to generate additional income, would put the project’s financial which it uses to fund more books for sustainability at risk. As more and participants. This approach has been CONTACT more people in Namibia gain access especially successful with the It’s Time to smart phones and the internet, to Identify booklet, the next print run Viktoria Keding it would seem prudent and cost-ef- of which has been fully financed by Director fective to switch from print to online book sales. In addition, because the Email: [email protected] publishing. However, the fact that project is integrated within existing Telephone/fax: 081-367-5310 not all Namibians have equal access methods and approaches, and Address: PO Box 8702, to information and communication operates in a variety of settings, the Swakopmund; 3 Antonius technology, means that a switch to local capacity to sustain the work is Garden, Nathaniel Maxuilili Street, online publishing would run contrary strong. The track record over 11 years Swakopmund, Namibia to NaDEET’s objective of reaching the shows that this method works and Website: http://www.nadeet.org most underprivileged and neediest makes good results achievable. While in society. The current challenge is to no other organization replicates what meet the needs of both audiences so NaDEET does, many partners have as to remain relevant. been motivated to change their ap- proaches to environmental education by the environmental literacy project. LESSONS LEARNED More than 9,000 children and adults have attended NaDEET’s centre to The biggest area where improve- participate in the programme, with ment is needed is in developing a very high rate of return among formal channels for the distribution partner schools. The Bush Telegraph of NaDEET’s publications. As a and It’s Time to… booklet series are non-profit organization, NaDEET has widely distributed and have twice often organized distribution through won first place in the Namibian other non-profits or at special events. EcoMedia Awards. Many past interns Future efforts should focus on getting now work as environmental educa- the materials approved through the tors around the country. national body and thereby recog- nized and endorsed for schools to purchase. This would be in addition INNOVATION to the current approach, as it would reach a different audience in a new One of the most innovative features way. If more funding was available, of the NaDEET approach is its philos- NaDEET would employ a dedicated ophy of ‘practising what is taught’. staff member or team to develop NaDEET takes pride in integrating this. Currently, the focus is on the the principles of sustainability into publications and not the accessibility all facets of its operation, whether of the information to the reader. programme-related or administrative. The NaDEET centre gives participants an opportunity to learn about the SUSTAINABILITY principles of sustainable living, and environmental audits are conducted The project is integrated within all of to monitor water, energy and waste NaDEET’s activities, utilising existing consumption. The same approach human and institutional capacity is reflected in the environmental and thereby reducing overall costs literacy materials. It is an inspiration as much as possible. NaDEET uses a to participants, who, in turn, share 30
SENEGAL
Associates in Research and Education for Development (ARED)
Language of Instruction that produces books that encourage by continuously developing curricula Pulaar and French reading for pleasure, enabling new which address the tasks that all adults readers to identify with the story and undertake – be they leaders, deci- Date of Inception the characters rather than see reading sion-makers, elected officials, groups 1990 as a means of learning something advocating for change, or simply new. It currently responds to requests citizens trying to meet the needs of for materials from organizations in their families. CONTEXT Senegal, Mali, Benin, Burkina Faso and Niger. Associates in Research & Education Target Groups for Development (ARED) focuses its activities on northern Senegal. It Objectives ARED seeks ways to incorporate has established links with a highly marginalised groups into an educa- active grassroots initiative to promote ARED’s main objectives are to: tional process that meets their needs literacy in Pulaar (also known as as busy working adults. These groups Fulfulde), which is the mother tongue ■■ test and publish learner-centred include: of many of the area’s inhabitants and training materials in African lan- is spoken by more than 25 million guages for the growing non-formal ■■ Adolescents who have not had the people across the Sahel. education sector; opportunity to start or complete pri- ■■ mobilise human resources within mary school education. ARED strives the community to take charge of their to provide this group with “basic edu- PROGRAMME own systems of education, as well cation” (equivalent to, but not limited as train them for this task, thereby to, primary school education). ARED is dedicated to developing placing control over education into ■■ Women who have been unable reading and learning materials in the hands of the community; to attend school, and whose busy African languages. Materials are first ■■ provide support to existing pro- working lives do not permit them to written in Pulaar, in order to assess grammes in the field; attend formal school on a regular whether or not they match the needs ■■ provide culturally-relevant books basis. and levels of new literates. After this, which people enjoy reading, thus ■■ Marginalised social groups (e.g. they are adapted to other dialects of reinforcing their ability to use the minority ethnic groups/language Fulfulde, other West African languag- written word by emphasising the con- groups) who are often not adequate- es or translated into French. nections between culture, language, ly integrated into decision-making reading and education; and processes. ARED was created in 1990 in order ■■ provide current information and ■■ Community organizers and leaders to publish books for new literates analytical tools through books and who need to be better prepared to and help other programmes in their training which help individuals and assume their roles and responsibili- training activities. It does not imple- community groups to analyse their ties. ment literacy programmes of its own, situation, become more proactive, but instead responds to requests for make informed choices and plan training courses and books from local appropriate responses. Thematic Areas associations, other NGOs and bi-later- al projects. It aims to go beyond the The programmes supported by ARED ARED has already tested and devel- provision of basic and functional liter- focus on developing basic literacy oped training courses and materials acy materials by producing complex skills, leadership and organizational on a variety of topics. Community materials – centring on local law, the capacities and providing information associations are free to choose the impact of development projects and on citizenship and civil society so that topics that best meet their needs. the development of a civil society, people can make informed choices All of the existing topics listed below amongst others – as well as providing and reach their own goals through include one or more books in the reading materials in the form of nov- increased access to education and local language. els, poetry, history and compendiums information. ARED also provides of local knowledge. ARED is also one some of the tools needed for change Literacy and maths skills – Local of the few publishers in West Africa and action at the community level literacy teachers are required to Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development 31 take three courses, each lasting 90 hours. These teachers then go on to teach a minimum of one 300-hour programme in their communities.
Negotiated conflict resolution – A 100-hour training course that enables participants to identify and analyse conflicts (especially those between herders and farmers in the Sahel), and achieve a win-win outcome. It also covers the process of mediation in depth.
Civil society – ARED has developed several modules, each lasting be- tween 35 and 70 hours, to reinforce the role of civil society, especially in rural and/or poor areas of Senegal. These modules include an explana- tion of land tenure law, the forestry code, the new rural code, the role of locally-elected officials, the rights and responsibilities of citizens and the role of the three branches of government (executive, legislative and judiciary). HIV and AIDS – While many HIV between 15 and 30) and adults and AIDS programmes focus on the (aged between 30 and 70), men and Participatory analysis of local disease itself, and/or the care of those women, literate community members conditions – This visual method, suffering from it, ARED offers a 35- and those who are unable to read originally referred to as a “rapid rural hour training course which focuses and write. This mix of participants appraisal” and now more commonly on bringing community members is crucial for both the sharing and known as a “participatory rural together to discuss the social prac- the storing of information and since analysis”(PRA), is a means of bringing tices which ignore or promote the classes are learner-centred, they together community groups to spread of the disease, and identifying depend on participants’ sharing of analyse various issues of importance. ways in which community groups can knowledge and experiences. ARED organises a number of training come together to face their social courses lasting between 35 and 70 responsibilities. ARED programmes provide partici- hours each to help groups work patory, learner-centred education in together to study environmental Culture, literature and indigenous African languages to both individual issues, learn about the interaction knowledge – For a person to learners and local communities. between families and the community, develop fully, it is crucial that the Literacy materials interwoven with investigate livelihood sources, etc. value of their own cultural knowledge RRA (rapid rural appraisal) tools have systems receive official recognition. been developed for learners who Organization building – In the ARED offers 20-hour training courses cannot attend literacy classes on a rural Sahel today, hundreds of local to enable the publication of 25 regular basis, so that they can learn associations are being created to books comprising works of literature, at home, at their own pace. All books address community issues. To support historical accounts and overviews of and training provisions are designed this process, several training courses local knowledge systems. to bring various members of the of 35 to 70 hours each have been community together so that they can developed, helping community analyse and respond more effectively groups learn how to create an asso- Teaching and Learning to the situations with which they ciation, identify the legal implications Approach find themselves confronted. ARED’s involved, write budgets, manage and aim is not to “teach”, but to create run a community centre, and so on. Training activities vary in length (from an environment in which people can 20 to 100 hours) and are carried out communicate and share knowledge Pastoralism – A 100-hour training in local communities, both rural and with each other while learning new course covering the most relevant urban. Although each training activity and relevant information. and topical aspects of herding in the is accompanied by a book in the Sahel today, including an analysis of language in which the course is being the existing system of herding, the held, it is not assumed that everybody ACHIEVEMENTS concepts underpinning development attending the training courses is projects and legislation from all of the literate. There is a deliberate attempt Since 1992, over 150 titles have Sahelian countries. to bring together a mix of community been edited, 800,000 books sold, members; including youth (aged and more than 450 training courses 32 Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development carried out, attended by more than 9,000 participants, future literacy teachers and/or community activists.
LESSONS LEARNED
“We are fortunate to work in a context where the community sees the value of Pulaar literacy. However, our ‹gift› back to others is to demonstrate how the community can be involved, the importance of having culturally-relevant materials (not just functional materials) and how far a new literate can go in his or her learning after only a few hundred hours of training.” Sonja Fagerberg-Diallo (ARED)
It is important to note that Pulaar language education can be introduced in such a way that the community becomes an actor in the process of defining the form, role and value that it should take. The key ARED is continuously looking to ■■ Income from the sale of books, element in this process appears to be establish good partnerships. It is which covers more than 50 percent the cultural resonance that education this network of like-minded individ- of printing costs. in Pulaar has found. Consequently, uals that allows it to strengthen its ■■ Local participation in the cost of the pursuit of education is no longer capacities, reach more learners and training. associated with cultural alienation, be more productive. ■■ Grants from long-term (6–10 as is so often the case with formal years) partners who support the education in French. Instead, it is Participants have written to ARED programme’s vision, core costs and seen as both a valuable contribution to explain how it has improved their specific activities. to local development initiatives and lives. Here are some excerpts from ■■ Income for services provided. a means of preserving culture that their letters: integrates new ideas into existing social and intellectual systems. ■■ “Learning to read woke me up.” CONTACT Hence, the key to ARED’s success lies ■■ “Having learned to participate in a in the link that it has forged between class, I now dare to work in a group.” Awa Ka Dia cultural identity and literacy. Because ■■ “I can now stand in the middle of President training course participants become a group and speak my mind.” NINEA 006 3 719 more knowledgeable citizens and are ■■ “I learned that men and wom- Villa 3074 Amitié 1 better able to work together, they are en can be equal when they work BP 10 737 in a position to play a key role in their together.” Dakar - Liberté communities. They may choose to ■■ “Learning to read has made me a Sénégal join and contribute to a community more humble and forgiving person.” E-Mail: [email protected] association or lobby for interests ■■ “Knowing myself, I can now be that are all too often ignored. more open to others.” Alternatively, they may succeed in ■■ “I now know my own mind, and making the voices of marginalised refuse to be tricked.” people, such as women, heard in ■■ “In the past it was always community groups. French-speaking experts who came to tell us what to do. Now is it our It is striking that participants do own children who are helping us not view literacy classes or training analyse our situation.” courses as a set of mechanical skills or information that must be learned, but rather as a process of empower- FUNDING ment made possible by the exchange between participants, and between Four types of funding are available: the self and the written word. 33
SOUTH AFRICA
Adult Literacy and Skills Training Programme (ALSTP)
Implementing Organization a meagre livelihood from family land. a second language, numeracy and Operation Upgrade of South Africa Needless to say, this has profoundly theme-based training in: undermined their ability to break out Language of Instruction of the vicious cycle of poverty and ■■ livelihood development: income Mother-tongue(s) and English educate their children. Recognising generation, food production/security as second language that illiteracy is both the cause and preservation; and the effect of numerous social ■■ health education: HIV/AIDS Funding challenges, Operation Upgrade – a awareness and prevention, child- National Lottery; ProLiteracy national NGO founded in 1966 to care, home-based care for the sick, Worldwide; OXFAM Australia; assist poor people with development reproductive health, nutrition and Rotary Club of Umhlanga and the projects – initiated the Adult Literacy sanitation; Rotary District Literacy Committee. and Skills Training Programme (ALSTP) ■■ civic/life skills education: human in 2003 in an effort to promote social rights, gender relations, conflict man- change and development in marginal- agement and resolution; and CONTEXT AND ised and socially disadvantaged rural ■■ sustainable environmental conser- BACKGROUND communities. vation.
Although South Africa has made Essentially, therefore, OpUp views significant progress in providing ADULT LITERACY AND literacy not merely as the ability universal access to education, an SKILLS TRAINING to read and write, but as a major estimated 9 million people cannot PROGRAMME (ALSTP) vehicle for holistic social change read or write. A vast majority of these and community development. In are adult women living in poor and Since 1966, Operation Upgrade light of this, OpUp uses ALSTP to remote rural areas. For example, (OpUp) has – with financial and promote literacy among learners it is estimated that the province of technical support from many through developmental activities that KwaZulu-Natal alone has about two organizations, including Oxfam addresses their basic and practical million illiterate people. Furthermore Australia, ProLiteracy Worldwide needs, thus helping them to break – and similarly to other rural areas – Int. and local chapters of Rotary out of the cycle of poverty. As the only 26% of a total population of ap- International – been working with OpUp Director, Pat Dean, said, to be prox. 26,000 in KwaNibela (a remote poor South Africans through literacy effective “literacy classes must reflect rural area in KwaZulu-Natal province) and development projects. In 2003, the social context. So while English is literate. High rates of illiteracy OpUp initiated ALSTP, which encom- is an option for the learners, HIV and among most adult South Africans passes the KwaNibela Project that AIDS and food security are part of are a result of the segregationist won the 2008 UNESCO Confucius almost every lesson. You cannot be apartheid policies and have been Prize for Literacy. The ALSTP emerged in a literacy class if you can’t feed further exacerbated by a continued as a proactive response to practical your children.” This basic principle has lack of development in rural areas. needs of and challenges facing shaped the objectives of ALSTP. Illiteracy has a profound socio-eco- poor, rural-based households. It nomic impact on rural families, is a multi-faceted family-based perpetuating cycles of poverty (due literacy and development project Aims and Objectives to limited productive capacity, a lack that is being implemented in socially of the skills needed to gain formal disadvantaged and remote rural areas The ALSTP endeavours to: employment, an inability to educate such as KwaNibela. The programme children, insufficient access to basic primarily targets adult women – and, ■■ promote social change and devel- social services and a high prevalence to some extent, men, children and opment through adult literacy and of HIV/AIDS). The challenges facing youth – aged 25 to 50 years. adult basic education; women are compounded by the ■■ combat illiteracy among rural increased migration of males to urban Using an integrated approach to women in order to enhance their areas in search of employment. As literacy skills training and community skills, thus making them more pro- a result, women struggle to sustain development, the programme offers ductive, enabling them to generate their families (averaging 5 children mother-tongue literacy, English as income and alleviating poverty; and 2 adult dependants) by eking out 34 Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development
■■ empower women to be active es in Zulu, English and mathematics. Apart from teaching methodologies, agents of community development; However, as most facilitators do not the facilitators are also trained to ■■ improve public awareness of fun- have English and Mathematics, OpUp identify learners’ concerns needs damental and constitutionally-guar- provides them with basic training in and address them using appropriate anteed human rights, including these areas. strategies and projects. They are also access to basic health and education ■■ They should have proven their taught to design lessons and develop services; commitment to social services by un- appropriate materials based on ■■ increase the capacity of women dertaking voluntary community work. themes that they have identified. to fend for their families and thus to ■■ They should demonstrate social improve their standards of life; and and attitudinal maturity. ■■ increase public awareness about ■■ They should be self-motivated and Enrolment of Learners healthy living, including nutrition and good social mobilisers. HIV/AIDS prevention. The mobilisation and recruitment Facilitators receive ongoing training in of learners is a collective endeavour In order to achieve these goals, the adult education/literacy and commu- involving the active participation of programme: nity development for a total of 60 the community (through the com- days, covering the following courses: munity literacy committees – CLCs), ■■ develops and implements a trained facilitators, local leaders (such structured literacy curriculum that is ■■ Introduction to adult basic edu- as church and community leaders) relevant to learners’ needs; cation and teaching first-language and OpUp. Once potential learners ■■ trains literacy facilitators and har- literacy (20 days). have been identified, the facilitators nesses their social contacts and com- ■■ Teaching English as a second lan- assess their learning needs before munication skills to spread informa- guage (10 days). placing them in appropriate literacy tion about community development, ■■ Teaching numeracy (10 days). classes. They also consult with them education and HIV/AIDS prevention ■■ HIV/AIDS prevention, counselling to formulate a teaching-learning and care; and home care (12 days). timetable. The active involvement of ■■ develop literacy learning materials ■■ Vegetable tunnel management (3 learners from the outset is necessary that support HIV and AIDS prevention days). not only to ensure community and care, human rights, family health ■■ Leather craft (6 days). ownership of the programme but in and livelihood development; and order to design a literacy programme ■■ ensure food security by construct- Most critically, facilitators are also that best addresses the specific needs ing vegetable production tunnels and trained in the use of various teach- of the learners. It also cultivates water systems, including rainwater ing-learning methods, including the and sustains learners’ motivation to harvesting systems. use of cultural practices and a variety participate in the programme. of teaching materials. In addition, theme-based instruction is provided PROGRAMME in order to enable facilitators to, Teaching-Learning IMPLEMENTATION: simultaneously, promote literacy Approaches and Methods APPROACHES AND skills acquisition, health and human METHODOLOGIES rights awareness and livelihood or The ALSTP endeavours to teach community development practices. learners fundamental literacy and Thus, the facilitators are trained to livelihood skills progressively over Recruitment and Training use relevant social issues and themes, a minimum period of ten months. of Facilitators such as domestic violence, HIV/AIDS While the ultimate objective is to and reproductive health, as the basis make learners functionally literate, OpUp’s community-based pro- for their literacy classes. The language the initial focus of literacy classes is to grammes are promoted through a used by the learners themselves develop mother-tongue literacy skills, network of literacy facilitators and during theme-based discussions is which are in turn used as the basis for each facilitator is responsible for a then used to promote reading and learning English and numeracy skills. group of 15 to 20 learners. Since the word recognition. Similarly, numeracy A variety of interactive and partic- inception of ALSTP, OpUp has trained learning often uses examples of ipatory teaching-learning methods about 350 community-based literacy income generation as the basis for are employed during literacy classes, educators as HIV and AIDS educators learning how to recognise numbers including: and home-based care givers. Literacy and to calculate. Through the use and community development of these socially-relevant themes ■■ problem-solving; facilitators should fulfil at least some and participatory teaching-learning ■■ role play (simulations); of the following criteria: methods, the learners acquire func- ■■ drama, dance and music; and tional literacy skills and knowledge ■■ story-telling and group discussions. ■■ They should be nominated by their about a range of issues, rather than communities (i.e. they should be local abstract reading and writing skills, Facilitators are also encouraged to people recruited through community and take personal or group action to use real-life and relevant examples as structures). address the key issues affecting their the basis for teaching and learning. ■■ They should have a Matriculation communities. For example, during learning sessions, (school-leaving) certificate with pass- learners are often divided into groups Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development 35 and encouraged to discuss issues of been the need to harness literacy Rotary International (2008): which relevance to their respective commu- classes as a vehicle for promoting assessed the psychosocial impact (in nities. The discussions are then used public awareness of and addressing terms of cognitive skills, personality, to nurture speaking, writing, reading, the HIV/AIDS crisis. Returning labour self-esteem, attitudes, etc) of literacy comprehension and word recognition migrants have fuelled the HIV/AIDS learning on learners in KwaNibela. skills. Often, a topic is first presented pandemic in most rural areas and and discussed in the mother tongue. women are often forced to act as Overall, external evaluators have Thereafter, groups of learners are primary care givers. Women are also unanimously applauded OpUp’s instructed to work on exercises at risk of being infected and it is integrated approach, which focuses designed to develop English-language therefore imperative to provide them simultaneously on individual literacy vocabulary, accompanied by reading with information on HIV/AIDS preven- achievements, skills development and and writing activities on that topic. tion and access to medical services. change within the community as in- Plenty of dialogue work, role play and Thus, literacy classes provide concrete dicators of the programme’s on-the- learning games are used. A similar educational opportunities for ground relevance and applicability. approach is also used in teaching behavioural change, self-protection numeracy, with examples often being and care-giving. Essentially, therefore, drawn from livelihood or income HIV/AIDS education must now be an Impact/Achievements generation activities. intrinsic component of any literacy and development programme. ALSTP has had a considerable impact The following project activities are on the lives of rural communities by used to further illustrate the way in To this end, OpUp has trained literacy improving literacy levels, boosting which the methodologies used to educators to incorporate HIV/AIDS productivity, increasing standards facilitate literacy skills training and education into literacy training as of living and promoting awareness community development are linked well as to act as effective communi- of basic human rights and HIV/ within the ALSTP framework. ty-based HIV/AIDS counsellors and AIDS. Each year, 430 learners attend home based care givers/workers. HIV/ literacy classes and benefit from other In response to learners’ demand for AIDS-related stories are used as the integrated projects. income-generation or livelihood skills basis for discussions and learning training, OpUp developed three main during literacy classes. Prevention Literacy levels among learners have projects: and care have thus been included improved significantly and, as a as literacy lesson topics, with many result, they are now able to conduct The vegetable tunnel system good results. The learners have their everyday activities more generally responded very positively independently. The following story This project is used to teach literacy to the information on AIDS provided bears testimony to the programme’s through the production of a variety in the lessons and have gone on to success: of vegetables (market gardening) establish community action projects such as spinach, tomatoes, green to help people living with HIV/AIDS. “I have five children. Each child has a peppers and chillies. OpUp provides a clinic card bearing his or her name. tunnel to a group of 20 learners who, But if one of the children got sick, I in turn, manage it as a cooperative PROGRAMME IMPACT did not know which card to take. I business venture. Accordingly, the AND CHALLENGES had to take the sick child and all five learners are taught how to manage cards and ask the clinic sister to find intra-group dynamics, organize work Facilitators and OpUp officials assess the right one. The nurses laughed at rosters, keep sales records, deposit the programme’s achievements me. I would delay taking my children money in the bank, and pack and and challenges on an ongoing to clinic because I was embarrassed market their products. Apart from basis. Learning outcomes are and ashamed. This all ended after being a source of secure and nutri- partly measured by means of literacy attending the literacy classes.” tious food for their families, the food examinations administered by OpUp tunnels also represent a small-scale at the end of the learning session Another of the programme’s major business enterprise that generates (participants are also free to sit public achievements has been the establish- income for the learners through the examinations for literacy learners). ment, by the learners, of income-gen- sale of surplus produce. The capacity Meanwhile, the effectiveness of liveli- erating projects such as the vegetable to generate extra capital has enabled hood programmes is often measured tunnels. These tunnels are now a women to improve their families’ by assessing the extent to which critical source of food security, pro- living standards and support their community development projects viding participating families with both children’s education. Furthermore, such as the vegetable tunnels have nutritious vegetables and an income. and equally importantly, cooperative improved participants’ living stand- This has raised living standards in engagement has improved commu- ards. The programme has also been rural households and enabled them nal/social relations. evaluated by external professionals, to access basic social services such including: as health and education for children. Literacy for Health Indeed, the vegetable tunnel project Crisp (2003): which examined and has proven so successful that one of The biggest challenge in South Africa assessed the synergies between HIV/ the groups (in KwaNibela) has been and for OpUp in recent years has AIDS and literacy training; and given a contract to supply spinach to 36 Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development
a major South African supermarket ■■ restricted personnel and resources, Follow-up: training and the provision group. which limits the amount of follow-up of reading materials for home-based training that programme graduates study are critical means of sustaining Public awareness of health issues can receive; and reinforcing the skills that learners (especially HIV/AIDS, nutrition, sani- ■■ a shortage of reading materials have acquired. They also stimulate tation) and sustainable environmental for home-based study (although family-based, intergenerational conservation has also improved, as income-generating projects were learning. demonstrated by the wide use of introduced to help maintain literacy rainwater harvesting systems. In and numeracy skills, most learners addition, the HIV/AIDS programme nonetheless relapse into semi-literacy SUSTAINABILITY has resulted in many infected people if they do not have access to ade- from learner families being taken quate reading materials); The integration of livelihood and to clinics for treatment or receiving ■■ a lack of remuneration for commu- HIV/AIDS projects into literacy skills effective home-based care. Overall, nity-based mobilisers and facilita- training programme is an innovative the programme has enabled learners tors, which has led to a shortage of method that attracts learners to form a new sense of self in relation personnel; and and motivates them to continue to the way in which they now interact ■■ the difficulty of identifying participating in the programme. with their environment. income-generating projects which re- Moreover, high levels of illiteracy and quire a minimum investment of initial poverty in rural areas ensure that the The contribution of OpUp towards capital yet are capable of generating programme will continue to attract combating the scourge of illiteracy enough income to meet learners’ potential beneficiaries. In order to and promoting social change and needs. promote lifelong learning still further, community development through OpUp publishes and disseminates training has been widely applauded, up-to-date learning materials in South both locally and internationally. As a LESSONS LEARNED Africa’s major languages. It also result, the programme has received a supports other community-based number of awards, including: The implementation of the pro- literacy groups in KwaZulu-Natal and gramme has revealed critical lessons in South Africa as a whole by training ■■ the Rotary International Award for that apply to any literacy skills literacy facilitators and providing low- Service Excellence (September 2005); training and community development cost teaching and learning materials. ■■ ProLiteracy Worldwide’s Ann programme: However, without adequate funding, Michel Award for International Inno- it will be difficult to continue to vation in Literacy (October 2005); and Community participation: the pro- expand the programme. ■■ accreditation for OpUp’s first-lan- ject depends on wide support from guage literacy facilitator training community, religious and political course by the University of South leaders. Chiefs have often provided SOURCES Africa (1996). land where group income-generating projects can take place, while a ■■ Media Club South Africa: UNESCO In addition, OpUp has received two number of churches have sponsored lauds SA literacy project highly-coveted awards, one local and literacy classes. ■■ ProLiteracy Partner Wins UNESCO one international: Prize for Literacy Investment in the training of ■■ UNESCO: Operation Upgrade – ■■ In 1996, President Nelson Man- facilitators: most facilitators are Winner of the UNESCO Confucius dela, together with the National young people, whose commitment Prize for Literacy 2008 Department of Education, presented has been the driving force of OpUp ■■ UNESCO: Hope for a forgotten Operation Upgrade with the 1996 projects. They have absorbed the land Presidential Award for Adult Basic training and gone beyond it to bring Education and Training. about social change, despite receiving ■■ In 2008, OpUp was awarded the little remuneration in return. CONTACT UNESCO Confucius Prize for Literacy in recognition of its sterling work Relevance: adult basic education Ms Pat Dean and innovative approaches to literacy programmes should take account of Operation Upgrade of South Africa training and livelihood development. learners’ specific and changing needs. P.O. Box 371 Hyper by the Sea 4053 As demonstrated, livelihood and South Africa health training must be incorporated E-mail:[email protected] CHALLENGES into literacy programmes, as literacy alone does not address these social Despite the positive impact that challenges and needs. Furthermore, the programme has had, its success relevant programmes sustain learners’ continues to be marred by practical motivation to continue learning, challenges arising primarily from while at the same time encouraging a lack of adequate funding. Key their families to obtain an education challenges are: after having witnessed its benefits first-hand. 37
UGANDA
Non-Formal Education and Livelihood Skills Training Programme (NFELSTP)
Implementing Organization to children and youth living in remote inception in 2004, the programme Uganda Youth Development and marginalised communities. has been implemented in Kampala Link (UYDEL) According to a recent study, the and Arua districts (urban and rural Functional Adult Literacy Programme respectively). Language of Instruction (FALP) which endeavoured to English and local languages promote youth and adult functional In order to empower vulnerable and literacy, was only accessible to about marginalised youth, UYDEL provides Funding 5% of the potential beneficiaries them with vocational and livelihood UNESCO while only about 37.4% of children training in different skills or trades who completed primary school including hairdressing, tailoring, mo- Programme Partners under the UPE programme were tor mechanics, carpentry, electronics, Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social able to access secondary education. welding, and cookery. Development, Makerere University Furthermore, the secondary school (Department of Social Work and system hardly provides learners with In addition, UYDEL also provides Social Administration), AYIVU Rural adequate vocational skills training programme participants with life Participatory Development (ARUPIDE). opportunities. Essentially therefore, skills training with particular focus most youth – particularly those living on health issues including HIV/ Date of Inception in marginalised rural and urban-slum AIDS, reproductive health, nutrition, 2004–05 communities – are forced either to child-rearing, peer-counselling, drop-out-of or to graduate from the drug and alcohol (substance) abuse. school system lacking the practical Essentially therefore, the NFELSTP is CONTEXT AND skills necessary for securing viable an integrated vocational/livelihood BACKGROUND employment and livelihoods. This and life skills training programme has made the youth more vulnerable which primarily endeavours to The provision of educational op- to exploitative labour practices empower socioeconomically mar- portunities to all citizens is central and to engaging in risky antisocial ginalised and vulnerable youth and, to Uganda’s developmental poverty behaviour including drug abuse and by extension, their equally disadvan- alleviation, social empowerment and prostitution which expose them to taged families and communities. transformation strategies. Various HIV/AIDs infection. In light of this and educational programmes and policies in an effort to create viable learning including the Universal Primary and livelihood opportunities for Aims and objectives Education (UPE, 1997), the Universal vulnerable youth, the Uganda Youth Secondary Education (USE, 2007) Development Link (UYDEL) – an ■■ To equip vulnerable youth from and the Functional Adult Literacy NGO founded in 1993 – initiated the marginalised communities with Programme (FALP, a component Non-Formal Education and Livelihood entrepreneurial and related functional of the national Poverty Eradication Skills Training Programme (NFELSTP) literacy skills Action Plan – PEAP) have been in 2004 with financial and technical ■■ To create sustainable learning instituted in recent years. Although support from UNESCO. opportunities that nurture youth beset by severe challenges such as empowerment and socioeconomic the lack of resources and sustained inclusion political will, these programmes THE NON-FORMAL ■■ To provide out-of-school youth have had some positive educational EDUCATION AND from marginalised communities with impact. For instance, as a result of LIVELIHOOD SKILLS marketable livelihood/vocational skills the UPE which provided free and TRAINING PROGRAMME in order to enhance their employment compulsory primary education, the (NFELSTP) (formal and/or informal) opportunities national primary school enrolment ■■ To empower youth to establish rate rose dramatically from 2.5 million As noted above, the NFELSTP targets viable income generating projects in 1997 to 7.2 million in 2000. By out-of-school and socioeconomically (poverty alleviation) 2005, the net intake rate (NIR) in vulnerable youth (such as orphans, ■■ To break the cycle of youth primary education had risen to 66%. street youth, sex workers, domestic marginalisation and vulnerability that However, these programmes have workers) from marginalised rural and undermines individual, community not been accessible to all, especially urban-slum communities. Since its and national development prospects 38 Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development
■■ To raise awareness of and combat fees, period, and each party’s is characterised by three major the spread of HIV/AIDS expectations. Recruited artisans are approaches: ‘learning by doing, provided with basic programme learning by producing and learning orientation training and, afterwards, by earning’. Learning by producing PROGRAMME learners are placed with the artisans and earning is central to the training IMPLEMENTATION: for a period of three to five months of the youth because most of them APPROACHES AND for on-site practical skills training have been exposed to earning money METHODS in a field or trade of their choice. at an early age having lived (and Apart from providing vocational skills continuing to live) in dire conditions, training to the youth, the artisans including being homeless or heading Institutional cooperation are also entrusted with the respon- households. This also explains most sibility of providing life skills training youth’s preference for training in Professionals, including academics (mentorship) and it is for this reason trades that take a short period to and development specialists, play that UYDEL often selects artisans of complete. Additionally, participatory a critical role in the development high moral standing, highly regarded teaching-learning methods are also and implementation of UYDEL’s by their communities. essential because most artisans and programmes. Similarly, during the learners do not have formal educa- development of the NFELSTP, UYDEL tion beyond primary level. worked closely with professionals Recruitment of earners from Makerere University, UNESCO, However, although the training of the Ministry of Gender, Labour and The identification, assessment and re- youth by artisans is largely informal, Social Development (MoGLSD) and cruitment of vulnerable youth into the UYDEL and/or its partners often various NGOs and CBOs. Noteworthy, programme is done in different ways provide formal instruction to partici- professionals played a central role in and by various stakeholders, including pants. Formal instruction – including the development of the project cur- the youth themselves referring seminars, group discussions/debates, riculum, teaching-learning materials their peers to the programme, and story-telling and lectures – is primarily and implementation strategies as community-based parents’ support employed to facilitate the integration well as in monitoring and evaluating groups, community leaders, artisans of health education into the pro- the entire project. This cooperation and activists identifying affected gramme. To this end, a number of helped to strengthen the capacity of and vulnerable youth. Additionally, easy-to-read learning materials such UYDEL in the implementation of pro- programme facilitators (social as booklets, pamphlets and posters gramme. Apart from professionals, workers) also undertake regular visits have been produced to enable ‘ordinary’ community members and and hold discussions with youth from facilitators to effectively conduct activists were also actively consulted marginalised rural and urban-slum health education classes. Some of the and involved in the identification of communities to enlighten them reading materials used include: learners, artisans and implementation about UYDEL’s non-formal education of the programme. programmes. During such visits, the ■■ Feed the Children – Uganda: an social workers also ascertain the HIV/AIDS training manual for young identified youth’s levels of socioec- people which was designed for com- Recruitment of facilitators onomic vulnerability, education and munity leaders, health workers and and local artisans interest in order to screen them for social workers to help them educate appropriate vocational skills training young people on HIV/AIDS related UYDEL has recruited two professional placement. The pre-enrolment issues social workers who act as the key assessment, counselling and mentor- ■■ Adolescent sexual reproductive programme facilitators. In particular, ing of potential learners is intended health training curriculum for young the facilitators are responsible for to ensure that only the most disad- people (produced by the Ministry of community mobilisation, coordinating vantaged and thus deserving youth Health, UNFPA and WHO) and monitoring programme activities, are enrolled into the programme as ■■ Peer educators training curriculum implementing public awareness well as helping the youth to make an (Pathfinder – Uganda): This curricu- campaigns and identifying and plac- informed choice with regards to their lum identifies activities, which can ing learners with local artisans who potential vocational training. be undertaken by peers in order to are skilled practitioners in selected orient them on their roles as they pro- vocational trades. Local youth, their mote adolescent reproductive health guardians and community-based par- Teaching-learning ■■ Peer-to-Peer Drug Abuse Preven- ents’ support groups also participate approaches and methods tion Handbook (UYDEL). in identifying suitable artisans near their homes. These artisans are visited In order to effectively equip learners by the social workers to assess their with sustainable practical vocational Assessment of learners willingness and capacity to train the skills, the training of learners under youth. Based on the social workers’ the NFELSTP is primarily through the The assessment of learners and eval- assessments and recommendations, use of participatory methods (i.e. uation of learning/training outcomes UYDEL then signs a memorandum action-based). To this end, all learners is conducted on an ongoing basis of understanding with the artisans, are placed under the mentorship of by programme facilitators or social specifying issues such as training, master artisans and as such, training workers, UYDEL field supervisors and Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development 39 master artisans. The social worker youths’ self-esteem and confidence. UNESCO evaluation report cited and UYDEL field supervisors conduct This has enabled the youths to above revealed the following key regular visits to the master artisans’ transform their lifestyles and thus challenges: work places in order to assess the prevented them from (re-) engaging training progress and any challenges in risky antisocial behaviour as one Lack of resources: programme being encountered, as well as to graduate attested: ‘I left commercial funding from UNESCO has been ascertain the artisan’s capacity to sex [work after training in tailoring] limited. For example, the grant from train the youth. The social worker and life is fantastic now. I get orders UNESCO did not cover the costs and UYDEL field supervisors also use from many customers and earn about for the purchase of training tools, the field visits to identify behavioural 150,000 shillings a month’. An artisan clothing and protective gear and changes in the youths and to provide trainer gave a similar testimony: ‘The transport to training centres. This has them with ongoing psychosocial children we received were rebellious, had a negative impact on youths’ counselling, support and guidance. reporting late, and could give us hard ability to attend classes as most of Furthermore, the master artisans also time when training them; but now them are very poor and cannot afford regularly evaluate the youths’ overall they have changed greatly. We even these costs on their own. There is behaviour, training performance trust them with money and they keep also a lack of resources to support and progress and present reports to it’. graduates to start their own income UYDEL. generating activities. Youth and community empower- ment: the programme has equipped Some local artisans that are engaged IMPACT the youth with practical life and by the programme have limited vocational (marketable) skills and as equipment/tools. This has had a The NFELSTP has made a significant a result, they are now less vulnerable negative impact on their ability to impact on marginalised youths’ voca- to manipulation and exploitation by effectively train the youth and has tional skills competencies, livelihoods employers as they are now better also shifted the burden to UYDEL by and psychosocial behaviour as well as able to negotiate their employment way meeting extra costs of buying on their communities’ development conditions including levels of tools for the youth to train with. and general living standards. The remuneration. Furthermore, it has programme has thus become one of also enabled youth to establish their Time limitations: the trainees are sup- the major instruments of fostering own income generating enterprises, posed to complete the skills training individual and collective (social) thereby generating more employment programme in (on average) three empowerment and transformation. opportunities for other youth in their months. This period is too short to More specifically, an evaluation report communities. In addition, public enable trainees to effectively acquire by UNESCO identified the following awareness about HIV/AIDs has led practical skills especially in view of key contributions of the programme to discernible changes in the youths’ the fact that some of them lack the on youth and societal development sexual behaviour. basic and necessary literacy skills. and well-being: Social transformation and cohesion: Some of the trades such as carpentry Employment generation, poverty the use of local artisans as youth and motor vehicle mechanics have alleviation and behavioural change: a trainers and social mentors (i.e. in the seasonal customers. This affects the majority of the youth who completed rehabilitation of vulnerable children) learning process since the trainees training in various vocational trades has helped to foster social cohesion. learn as they earn. Eventually it are now gainfully employed. This In addition, the programme has also creates redundancy with the youth has not only enabled them to be inculcated the youth with a sense having to wait for a new customer to self-reliant but has also improved of social or civic responsibility which place an order before receiving any their quality (standard) of life. One of has, potentially, fostered family and form of training. the programme beneficiaries testified cohesion as well as prevented some thus: ‘I was picked by UYDEL staff youth from engaging in anti-social Some trainees are demotivated by the when I was so poor to the extent that behaviour including violent crime. fact that some artisans do not pay poverty could be seen from my face. them despite the contributions they But now I can see with a smile. I am The programme has also boasted the make to the growth of their business- so happy because I am self support- business activities of master artisans es. This has led to perceptions that ing and useful to my family members’. who can now employ more youth the artisans are motivated by making The youths’ ability to support them- and provide better services to their profit rather than assisting the youth selves as well as to contribute to their communities. to improve their lives. families’ subsistence has inevitably raised their living standards, imbued Artisans have also raised concerns them with a sense of self-worth, pos- CHALLENGES that some youth who dropped out itive attitudes and future perspectives of school or never attended school and improved their social standing. Although the programme has had tend to have difficulties in grasping Furthermore, the integration of a positive impact in the lives of the basic practical concepts necessary practical skills training with health marginalised and vulnerable youth for skills acquisition. Such trainees education, psychosocial counselling and their communities, it has also tend to spend more time acquiring and guidance has also improved the encountered major challenges. The 40 Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development a skill, which inevitably increases Regular counselling is essential in programme costs. fostering successful youth behavioural change.
LESSONS LEARNED SOURCES A number of lessons have been learnt during the course of the project ■■ UNESCO Evaluation Report (2006) implementation. These include: Non-Formal Education and Livelihood Skills for Marginalised Street and Slum ■■ Community mobilisation and in- Youth in Uganda. volvement of key community leaders, parents and the youth themselves is central to the success and sustaina- CONTACT bility of non-formal educational pro- grammes. Most importantly, active Uganda Youth Development Link community participation is essential (UYDEL) in identifying the most vulnerable and Sir Apollo Kaggwa Road, deserving youth from the commu- BIFRO Hse nities. Professional networking and P.O. Box 12659, Kampala, Uganda, collaboration: the involvement of Tel: 041-530353 professionals from diverse fields is Email: [email protected] critical for the success of integrated youth-centric educational pro- grammes ■■ Integrated programming: because marginalised youth have multiple socioeconomic problems, it is imperative to institute holistic and integrated learning which address- es this. For example, literacy and business skills are central to enabling trainees to establish their own enter- prises. Such an integrated approach is also more attractive to the youth and their parents. ■■ Cost effectiveness: the use of local master artisans instead of formal vocational institutions is a more cost effective (cheaper) approach of implementing non-formal youth educational programmes. It not only helps to cater for more vulnerable youth but also serves to expose trainees to specific realistic work conditions and the challenges they are likely to meet. This enables them to learn how to effectively deal with such challenges. The trainees earn a small income which helps to improve their living standards and motivates them to continue participating in the programme. Furthermore, the local artisans understand the situations these youth are in and are better able to provide appropriate mentorship. ■■ Regular monitoring: a social worker needs to make regular visits and hold meetings with local artisans to monitor the progress of training. This also helps to monitor problems during the training and to find solu- tions. 41
EGYPT
Learning and Earning in Cairo’s Garbage City
Implementing organization from being reached by the education and promotes cooperation rather Spirit of Youth Association (SOY) system. than competition between the Zabaleen recycling system and the Language of instruction Among the largest groups currently multinational companies. Arabic absent from formal education are the garbage-collecting communities that The school was founded by commu- Date of inception live on the outskirts of Cairo. Cairo’s nity consultancy firm, Community December 2001 six Zabaleen (Arabic for ‘garbage and Institutional Development, and people’) communities survive through UNESCO Cairo Office in response to Programme partners collecting trash and recycling it. the socio-economic change felt by CID consulting, Procter and Gamble, Marginalized from society, facing the community when the multina- the Bill Gates Foundation, the poverty and low health standards, tionals’ trash recycling systems were Hands on the Nile Foundation the Zabaleen’s work is, nevertheless, introduced. It now forms part of and the African Star Foundation valued by society, as they recycle the Spirit of Youth Association. The between 80% and 85% of the school’s broader goal is to reduce Funding trash the mega city produces. The poverty and marginalization, and Procter and Gamble and Bill Gates Zabaleen waste collection system has improve health standards within Foundation (since 2010). Additional even received international recogni- the Zabeleen community. These funding is generated by selling tion and World Bank support as it is objectives are met through literacy the shredded plastic which results considered highly efficient. However, programmes, which are mainly from the recycling programme. in 2000, Cairo’s city municipality in- delivered in the specific work-ori- troduced a centralized trash recycling ented practical context familiar to Annual programme costs system, placing household waste col- the learners. Boys learn about their EGP 220,000 (equivalent lection in the hands of multinational rights as well as their duties towards to USD 28.824) companies, a move which threatened people and their environment. In the Zabaleen communities’ income the long term, the aim is to build a and socio-economic sustainability. responsible younger generation able COUNTRY CONTEXT The municipality has offered the to empower itself. By 2015, 130 boys community no compensation for aged between nine and seventeen Since 2012, Egypt has made enor- this change, despite the fact that the had graduated from the school. Fifty mous progress in developing an community relies on the recycling of them enrolled in middle school educational system for all, as part business, particularly as it is largely afterwards and twenty in high school. of its implementation of the United isolated from state schooling. Four students received high school Nations’ Millennium Development certificates. Among their parents, 129 Goals. As a result, 93.3 per cent of obtained the literacy certificate. In young boys and girls are now enrolled PROGRAMME OVERVIEW addition to these success stories, the in school education, while the gap school has also been the role model between boys’ and girls’ enrolment Founded in 2004, the Spirit of Youth for another project, in Helwan region, was reduced. While the number of Association (SOY) is an Egyptian which received national attention in formally educated Egyptians increas- non-governmental organization the media. es, the core problem of the country’s located in Manshiyet Nasser, one education system remains its poor of the largest Zabaleen community quality. The majority of students leave districts in Cairo. Set up by members Aims and Objectives primary school without being able of the community, the NGO aims to to read fluently, while poor reading empower young community members The programme aims: and writing skills contribute to a 30 through educational projects. SOY’s per cent unemployment rate among core project is the Recycling School ■■ To offer programmes, projects, young people. Children who never for Boys, which aims to enhance and activities focused on the environ- enrol in school education are usually the diffusion of practical knowledge mental and educational aspects of prevented by socio-economic burdens both to improve qualifications levels maintaining a business and increasing such as poverty or by geographical and to empower the community in income. factors, which may include living in the recycling business. The school ■■ To improve the environment of areas so remote as to prevent them is located in Mokkatam, the largest impoverished communities by pro- village within Cairo’s garbage city, moting the concept and practice of 42 Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development waste segregation at source in local The students convert the bottles into people about the challenges facing neighbourhoods of Greater Cairo. plastic powder which is then sold to the garbage collectors in Egypt. ■■ To further enhance the projects local recycling companies. The school and expertise of the SOY association curriculum combines this activity with The methodology used is unique, beyond the community of garbage basic education, computer literacy, working with the sound of a collectors in Manshiyet Nasser. practical work experience and the letter rather than its name. After ■■ To further develop the association study of environmental protection completing a basic level of reading into a learning organization that and workplace safety. The literacy and writing, the learners work with continuously improves and builds its classes are taught in the main hall in information and communication institutional capacities as well as its small groups of two or three learners technologies in order to learn how to human resources. integrate Google in their daily work ■■ To build the capacity of the Zaba- Learners enrol at the school for two and planning. For example, most of leen by advocating for their integra- to five years and graduate with the our students work with their parents tion into the formal waste manage- national literacy certificate, which in collecting the garbage from Cairo’s ment sector in Egypt. enables them to apply for further neighborhoods and streets. To ■■ To provide awareness and primary schooling in middle school. support that work, they are taught health care services to children, youth how to use Google maps to identify and women in marginalized commu- the area in which they are supposed nities, assisting them to obtain access Programme Content and to work, the name of the streets and to free government medical services. Teaching Material the best route to take. ■■ To offer children and young peo- ple working in particularly hazardous The learning process is designed Specialists in education develop a conditions alternative and safe work around real situations familiar to curriculum tailored to the life of the environments related to their skills the boys from their day-to-day lives. community and continuously add and experience. The approach assumes that literacy new elements. The material was taught through a vivid process of developed by Dr Laila Iskandar with initiating and sustaining creates support from the teachers and is PROGRAMME self-empowerment through the based on the Montessori approach to IMPLEMENTATION experience of free decision-making maths and science. Further materials and freedom of action. Teaching used in the programme include books The programme is designed in a basic literacy in a context that adapts and notebooks, computers, musical flexible way to adapt to the special to the environment of the boys, the instruments and art material, the circumstances in which young programme combines knowledge plastic cutting machine and the safety boys in Zabaleen communities find in maths, science, music, painting, materials. themselves. Courses are offered on a personal and environmental hygiene, variable schedule. Each student has to recycling, the use of office software be present for a minimum number of and Google maps. The programme Recruitment and Training hours to complete each programme, also covers computer skills, the of Facilitators and attends whenever time allows. principles of project management, The learners are categorized into book keeping and simple accounting, The facilitators, who receive modest three groups according to their and art and drama. The literacy salaries, work flexible hours and are capacity to read and write, ranging classes use vocabulary known to the drawn from within the community. from those who are not able to learners through their work as recy- Given the location of the school in recognize letters to those who are clers. A typical class is built around the middle of the garbage collectors’ able to read but with difficulty. the recycling of shampoo bottles. neighbourhood and the low wages, There is no standard duration for the A mathematics class might include people tend not to come from classes, which are, instead, adapted safety measurements and calculations outside the area. to the learner’s progress and ability as to what might be earned given the to attend classes. The programmes number, size and price of the bottles. The teachers are recruited through take place in the school and students After students collect the shampoo public advertisement, mainly target- have access to a computer lab bottles, they learn how to count them ing NGOs and the main church, and and a plastic cutting machine. The and how to read the brand name. through the efforts of school staff. school curriculum is built around They use their maths and literacy skills the recycling of plastic shampoo to fill out forms indicating how many Teachers at the school must have a bottles manufactured by Proctor and bottles they retrieved. The forms minimum of high school education Gamble and other multinationals. The are then given to the multinationals but the will to learn and a passionate students collect empty bottles, count which pay each learner for bottles approach to teaching are much more them and fill out forms to indicate they collected. The courses thus important. Teachers in this setting how many they have retrieved. The stress technical learning through also need to bring a high degree of multinationals, which want to end active work experience. There is an flexibility to their work. They undergo the fraudulent practice of refilling arts element too. The drama curric- on-the-job training at the beginning their discarded bottles with soap ulum included a play about the life of the programme and continue and water and reselling them, pay and history of the garbage collectors their development through with students for each bottle recorded. in Cairo that is performed to educate weekly support and monthly training Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development 43 sessions, as well as attending various for middle school and technical high SUSTAINABILITY specialized courses when available. school. After attending a forum on recycling in England, he now is a The programme has been running Currently, the programme employs trainer of drama and art in the school since 2001 with initial co-funding eight teachers. The number of and volunteers in the animation team from UNESCO. Today, however, the working staff depends on the number for the programme’s summer camps. only income to the project is the of hours they do. A minimum of With a group of friends, he has price of the cut plastic sold to the two teachers per shift is needed launched a start-up for collecting and market. Consequently, the NGO relies which means four teachers must be recycling garbage. on Proctor and Gamble and Star available to work each day. Since the Foundation support to ensure the school is open every day, a minimum Roumani Magdi was illiterate when project is sustained into the future. of six tutors is needed. he first attended school aged ten. After gaining his literacy certificate, he received home schooling for CONTACT Monitoring and Evaluation middle school and technical high school, including numerous computer Dalia Wahba The literacy exams offer one form of certificates. He worked as a computer Managing Partner evaluation. The school director also trainer at the school for two years 17 El Maraashly Street, 7th Floor, gives feedback to the teachers. An and then started his own business in Suite 16, Zamalek, external consultant has evaluated the paper. He managed to buy a pick-up Cairo, Egypt project and the learners themselves to enlarge his business. Tel: +20 27364479 continuously give informal feedback Email: [email protected] to the teachers. Challenges
IMPACT AND CHALLENGES The school’s work faces various challenges due to the environment in The success of the school is best which it was created. The numerous reflected in the stories of its grad- duties and challenging workload uates. At 26, Moussa Nazmy is the of young people in this community first in his family to read and write: mean that flexibility is needed in ‘After graduating from the recycling school schedules, teaching hours and school I decided to continue learning methods. The school adapts its hours through formal schooling. Now I am and methods according to the need about to take my final secondary and level of each learner. It also tries school exams, because I want to go continuously to integrate the day- to university.’ to-day duties of the learners into the programme and its schedule, as much Adham Al Sharkawy first came to as it does their vocabulary. At the school when he was 12 years old same time, efforts are made to make and illiterate. He gained his literacy older learners co-teachers. Another certificate and then had home challenge is to support learners after schooling for middle school. He is graduation to ensure they utilize now about to finish high school. He the skills they have gained through achieved numerous qualifications the school in further empowering in computing and has worked as a themselves. trainer in the school in the health and recycling programmes. He was Other challenges include funding, one of the main characters in the particularly securing it in the longer film Garbage Dreams, for which term, and the need to offer further he went to the United States of support to students in setting up America, spending two years there their own projects. One way of during which he had intensive English supporting students in creating their courses. After returning from the US, own projects would be by teaching he went to England to attend a forum an entrepreneurship curriculum. on recycling. He now runs a start-up for collecting and recycling garbage Part of the programme’s funds could with a group of friends. be used to create an income-generat- ing project for the NGO, which could, Nabil William first attended school in turn, contribute to its sustainability. when he was 11 years old. He too was illiterate. He gained his liter- acy certificate and received home schooling afterwards to equip him 44
MOROCCO
Functional Literacy Programme of Women of the Argan Cooperative through Amazigh (Berber) Language DVDs
Implementing Organization to the threat of excessive human starting with Amal cooperative in Association Ibn Albaytar exploitation, the Argan tree became 1996 employing 16 divorced or wid- (national NGO) not only the focus for conservation, owed women. Many of these women but also for socio-economic develop- had never acquired literacy skills and Language of Instruction ment and research. In 1998, through so from 2003 the association also Arabic, Berber (Amazigh) the UNESCO Man and Biosphere started to include literacy training as programme (MAB), the Arganeraie part of their programmes. This came FundingInternational NGOs Biosphere Reserve was designated, to benefit over 3000 women in the and foreign donors its core area comprising the Souss- Argan trade. A diagnostic study in Masaa National Park. A secondary 2006 brought to light that the need Programme Partners aim of this programme besides to consolidate literacy skills was National Centre of Development environmental protection, is also to being overlooked, also the fact that and Literacy (Centre National de promote and demonstrate a balanced many of the women spoke Berber, Développement et d’Alphabétisation relationship between people and some of whom could only speak – CNDA), Nutrition Act and the nature. very little Arabic. This led to the international cooperation of Monaco implementation in December 2008 of With a population of over 32 million, a new literacy programme designed Annual Programme Costs literacy rates in Morocco stand at an to address these needs in Amazigh, €60 000 (USD 80 000 – first year average of 56%, representing over 10 a Berber language spoken by the including DVD production costs), €25 million people lacking basic literacy women participating in it. 000 (USD 34 000 – second year) skills. With literacy programmes frequently being carried out in urban The programme is implemented in Cost per Learner: €104 (USD 140) areas, opportunities for women in five provinces of the region Souss poor rural areas to acquire these skills Massa Draa in central Morocco. Each Date of Inception are relatively few and far between. year 240 women and girls from rural December 2008 areas participate in the programme with a total of over 480 rural women PROGRAMME OVERVIEW benefiting from it since its inception. COUNTRY CONTEXT The programme’s focus on rural AND BACKGROUND The association Ibn Al Baytar (AIB) women sets it out from other organ- was created in 1999 and is registered izations whose main field of action Morocco is an emerging country as a national NGO in Morocco. It has is in urban areas. It is also the first ranking 130 out of 187 in the 2013 30 members and an Administration literacy programme in Morocco to Human Development Report (UNDP, Council made up of 9 people. The produce and use audio-visual material 2013). Agriculture makes up 15% main aim of the association is to in the Amazigh language. of the GDP (World Bank, 2013) bring together social and economic with 40% of the active labour force progress with the preservation of employed in its activity in 2010 the environment. Its programmes Aims and Objectives (UNDP, 2011). focus on the autonomy of women in rural areas, encouraging the The literacy programme for groups The Argan oil trade is unique to the protection of the environment and of women in the Argan cooperative country, its activity mainly being medicinal plants. Literacy classes are aims at: carried out by women in rural areas. coordinated with income-generating While the oil is used in cooking, it activities and provided for women ■■ Making the cooperative’s women is also renowned in the cosmetics working in one of the Argan women’s aware of the importance of environ- industry and known for its medicinal cooperatives. mental protection and preservation virtues. Situated in central and ■■ Making the cooperative’s women southern Morocco, it serves as a The association was among the first aware of the importance of the Argan buffer against desertification from to set up cooperatives in the Argan Biosphere and what is at stake in the the Sahara desert in the south. Due sector in Morocco, starting with preservation of the Argan forest Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development 45
■■ Making the cooperative’s women aware of the primary importance of cooperative and solidarity organisa- tion ■■ Endowing the cooperative’s wom- en with knowledge of legislation and cooperative management ■■ Endowing the cooperative’s wom- en with skills in the areas of quality norms/standards and traceability procedures in Argan oil production ■■ Increasing women’s awareness of the obstacles/constraints in Argan sales and the value of promoting fair trade ■■ Endowing the cooperative wom- en’s knowledge of new family laws, especially those concerning the status of divorced women and the basic principles of family management.
The simplification of audio-visual pedagogical tools in the Amazigh language for the women of the Argan cooperative looks at: to evaluate what they know and what Programme content ■■ Increasing women’s awareness of they have acquired. (curriculum) the importance of the cooperative as an economic structure for solidarity Participative methods are principally The association Ibn Al Baytar (AIB) ■■ Initiating women into cooperative used, ensuring full involvement of has been working in the field of adult legislation each learner. Brainstorming is one literacy since 2003 for the benefit ■■ Accompanying cooperative wom- such technique, used to create a of the Argan oil cooperations. This en in the implementation of good debate between the cooperative experience has greatly contributed cooperative governance women based on their knowledge to the curriculum in place for this ■■ Mobilizing women to adhere to and conceptions and also to ascertain programme. The principal manual efforts made to establish, respect, to what level they master the subject used helps learners to acquire and and improve quality standards and under question. Women are able to maintain literacy skills combined with to implement a traceability system freely share their own opinions and improving their management skills within the cooperatives points of view. The brainstorming is in the Argan trade. A key difference ■■ Reinforcing the cooperatives on an followed by the use of audio-visual between this programme and former institutional level material on the same theme. As this ones is the language of instruction, ■■ Increasing women’s awareness of material is in the mother-tongue classes being held and manuals being the Argan Protected Geographical of the participants they are able to used are no longer in Arabic but in Indication (PGI) and the importance follow it closely and also understand Amazigh, the main language spoken of fair trade. it. The content projected during by participants. the showing is then used to rectify, where necessary, some of the wom- Principal themes covered in the PROGRAMME en’s ideas or viewpoints expressed curriculum include the: IMPLEMENTATION during the preliminary discussion while continuing to promote free ■■ Protection of the environment expression. ■■ Arganeraie Biosphere Reserve Teaching – Learning ■■ Cooperative: definition and mem- Approaches and Group work is then used to consol- bership (part 1) Methodologies idate and put into action what has ■■ Cooperative: principals, rights and been discussed and covered. It is also obligations (part 2) Classes are held during six months a means for the facilitator to discern ■■ General Assembly of the Cooper- of each year with an average of 25 the level to which each participant ative learners per group. has mastered the subject under ■■ Accountancy for the Cooperative discussion. ■■ Traditional and mechanical oil At the beginning of each session a re- extraction methods view is made of the previous session, ■■ Quality and traceability helping participants to consolidate ■■ Marketing and PGI (Protected Ge- what they have already learned and ographical Indications) of Argan oil retain the key elements. It is also used ■■ Family law 46 Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development
Audio-visual material is a key feature Enrolment of Learners a final evaluation. They receive a final of the programme. An expert in grade, but no certificates are issued. pedagogy was recruited to specifically The main target groups are women design and plan the contents of these and girls. Women working in the materials and sessions. The artistic women’s cooperatives who wish to Monitoring and Evaluation development and final production follow the programme offered by of the material was entrusted to and the association Ibn Al Baytar can be Pedagogical supervisors visit the carried out by a company specialising enrolled. Each year 240 participants different training units once a month in artistic productions. A total of 12 benefit from the programme. to insure the pedagogical follow-up, pedagogical films were created to be aid the facilitators and help solve used in the programme. any problems which have come up Assessment of during literacy classes. During each learning outcomes visit, the supervisor will check the Recruitment and Training pedagogical documentation including of Facilitators During sessions, the facilitator uses technical documents, participants different exercises to assess the par- lists, timetables, attendance rosters, All facilitators follow a programme ticipants’ acquisition and assimilation monthly reports and agendas. The to be trained as facilitators. They are of the subjects covered. At the end of supervisor then submits a report to given a pedagogical kit comprising each module participants are given a the association Ibn Al Baytar at the of a facilitators guide in Arabic and test to evaluate their knowledge and end of each visit. a DVD in Amazigh. They follow a what they have acquired. These tests technical outline for each session. include different formats such as true Further evaluations are made by Facilitators are paid DH2800 per or false questions, multiple choice, external consultants or doctoral month (USD 340) and oversee two connecting information and carrying students studying impact at this level. groups of 50-60 learners. They all out tasks. have experience in the field of adult literacy and undergo three specific Following the evaluation, the facil- PROGRAMME IMPACT training sessions: literacy teaching, itator runs reinforcement sessions, AND CHALLENGES cooperative legislation and health and helping participants to extend and legal education. Extended training refine their newly acquired skills and also includes andragogy, facilitation knowledge. These evaluations also Impact and achievements and communication techniques, eval- serve to fine-tune the curriculum and uation methods, use of audio-visual methodologies as recurrent deficits Three thousand woman have partic- supports, among other things. in the programme may be brought ipated in the literacy programme in to light, they can also be addressed, Arabic since its inception in 2003. adjusted and rectified as appropriate. In 2009 and 2010, over 480 At the end of each year, all partici- women benefited from the literacy pants take an examination as part of programme with the DVD in the Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development 47
Amazigh language and attendance rates have increased since its outset. Success rates for the programme in Amazigh are at 84% compared to previous rates of below 50% for the programme in Arabic.
Various benefits have also been recorded relating to improved quality and traceability in Argan oil production and more transparency in the cooperations. Women are demonstrating greater initiative in contacting or consulting administra- tion in the cooperative sector. They have also become more aware of the need to protect the environment and the Argan trade.
As the programme is being imple- mented in key areas of the Souss Massa Drâa region, notably the prov- inces of Agadir Idaoutanane, Chtouka Ait Baha, Taroudant and Tiznit, more and more requests are being received to extend the programme further. the annual harvest had been good 2010 it started to be implemented in It is now being used as a model in and harvesting started as early as the field. The experience and exper- other women’s cooperatives in other April in certain zones. As a result, tise gained in the Argan sector could sectors besides Argan. many women were pushed to stop be adapted and later used for these their classes to help their families with new activities. Requested are already One learners’ manual has been the harvest and associated activities. being received to use the programme produced and a second is under To counteract this, timetables were in cooperatives in other sectors. way. In addition there is an instruc- modified and arrangements were tor’s manual on literacy with a made for participants to be able to second focusing on skills training for catch up with what they had missed. SOURCES instructors. Some cooperatives invest heavily in ■■ UNDP (2013) Human Development this programme while others, lacking Report 2013 Challenges and lessons learned their own means, are constrained ■■ UENSCO (2013) Man and Bio- to wait for financial aid from other sphere programme The implementation and day-to-day NGOs or foreign donors. ■■ UNESCO – MAB Biosphere Re- running of the programme has met serves Directory – Morocco Argen- with its own set of challenges. The eraie buildings housing the literacy centres SUSTAINABILITY are in a precarious state, lacking adequate tables and chairs, missing The long term sustainability of the CONTACT DETAILS windows and with roofs in disrepair. programme depends on a continued Participants do not have the neces- demand for literacy training by Madame Zoubida Charrou sary equipment, such as televisions groups of women and women’s’ President of the Association Ibn and DVD players, to enable them to cooperatives as well as the continued Albaytar view audio-visual material at home. investment of financial partners. 22 rue Sebou, Many participants have expressed There are now 180 cooperatives Appt 2 a need for the courses to be longer for Argan, which represent 4500 Agdal RABAT than six months, finding this length women, each a potential beneficiary Morocco too short to fully assimilate the whole of the programme. The demand for Telephone: 212537.77.53.80 programme. literacy training is great, but needs Fax: 2125 37 71 32 79 the financial backing to be able to Mobile:212 661372142 The programme has also learned keep up with it. Email:[email protected] from and overcame various challeng- es. The social climate and different In 2008 the Minister of Agriculture political events, such as the electoral in Morocco launched the Projet Vert campaign, have had an impact on the (Green Plan) to promote income-gen- programme, most often disturbing erating activities in other sectors and the regularity of classes. One year, for other products than Argan and in 48
BANGLADESH
Ganokendra Model of Community Learning Centres
Implementing Organization 2004. The continued prevalence of ciaries, the GP provides participants Dhaka Ahsania Mission (DAM) illiteracy in the country is due to a with skills training opportunities in a number of socio-economic factors variety of fields including: Language of Instruction including high levels of poverty and Bengali (Bangla) the general lack of development, all ■■ literacy (basic and functional of which prevents many people from literacy); Programme Partners gaining access to basic education. ■■ livelihood skills training and sup- Local Communities, UNESCO, the Additionally, many neo-literates port to establish income generation State of Bangladesh (through local (i.e. primary school graduates) have activities / projects (in, for example, administrative bodies, extension relapsed into illiteracy due to a severe handicraft production, carpentry and service departments), Bangladesh lack of institutionalised post-primary agriculture); Open University, Concern Universal educational programmes. In light of ■■ health (e.g. HIV/AIDs awareness and NGOs working in the area. this, and recognising that illiteracy and prevention, family nutrition, is both the cause and consequence good sanitation practices, anti-drug Date of Inception of poverty and under-development, and anti-tobacco awareness cam- 1992 Dhaka Ahsania Mission (DAM) – a paigns); non-governmental organisation ■■ environmental conservation and (NGO) founded in 1958 to promote ■■ civic education (leadership train- BACKGROUND poverty alleviation and socio-eco- ing, human and gender rights aware- AND CONTEXT nomic empowerment among the ness, human security, democratic poor – initiated the Ganokendra governance, conflict management Over the past few decades, (translates from Bangla to “people’s and resolution, child and women traf- Bangladesh and various NGOs centres”) Programme in 1992 with ficking awareness and prevention). have instituted several educational support from UNESCO. programmes such as universal (com- pulsory and free) primary education Aims and Objectives and the establishment of village THE GANOKENDRA libraries and village study circles in PROGRAMME (GP) The GP endeavours to: an effort to provide its citizens with access to quality education and The Ganokendra Programme (GP) is ■■ create sustainable and communi- thus to promote national economic a non-formal, intergenerational and ty-based Lifelong Learning opportuni- development, poverty alleviation integrated educational programme ties for the poor majority in order to and social empowerment and which endeavours to create contex- combat illiteracy; transformation. However, in spite of tually appropriate, need-based and ■■ create learning opportunities for these concerted efforts, a majority of sustainable lifelong learning oppor- neo-literates to enable them to retain, Bangladeshis, particularly those living tunities for out-of-school children, sustain and improve their literacy in marginalised rural communities, youths and adults living in marginal- skills; and especially women, children and ised rural and urban slum communi- ■■ compliment government efforts in people living with disabilities, have ties. Although the programme serves combating illiteracy in the country in little access to quality education and all community members, particular line with UNESCO’s six Education for livelihood opportunities. As a result, efforts are made to target women, All (EFA) Goals; poverty and illiteracy continue to be not only because they are often ■■ combat rural poverty; highly prevalent in the country. It is marginalised from existing education- ■■ promote community development, estimated that every year about 7 al programmes but also because they social empowerment and transfor- million children fail to attend school are central to family and community mation; or drop out of school before complet- development. As such, women ■■ enable economic self-reliance ing primary education, thus about 60 currently constitute about 70% of the among the poor majority and million Bangladeshis are functionally membership of more than 85,300 ■■ raise the living standards (quality illiterate. Overall, UNESCO estimates programme beneficiaries. of life) of poor people. that the total adult and youth literacy rates were 47 per cent and 64 per In order to cater for the diverse needs To achieve these multiple and cent, respectively, between 1995 and of the different groups of benefi- integrated goals, the Dhaka Ahsania Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development 49
Mission (DAM) has established about things, to procure learning materials it is located. Initially, the learners 2,470 multi-purpose Ganokendra or for the CLC, fund centre operational from literacy courses are enrolled for Community Learning Centres (CLCs) costs and most importantly, provide post-literacy courses and practice across the country since 1992. The members with soft loans or credits. sessions in the Ganokendra. Gradually CLCs have since become focal points CLCs clustered in a geographical area other members of the society such for the provision of needs-based are networked through a technical as farmers, artisans, day labourers, non-formal education (literacy and service centre known as a Community school children, teachers, local youths life skills training programmes) to Resource Centre (CRC). CRCs also and community leaders join various out-of-school children, youths and function as nodal institutions to programmes in the Ganokendra. adults in the country. The CLCs are facilitate establishing linkage of Some of them visit the Ganokendra also used as community libraries and the Ganokedra with government to read newspapers or to collect are therefore stocked with a variety and private sector service providing information for their needs. of easy-to-read materials for com- agencies. munity members of all age-groups. In addition, the CLCs also provide Training-Learning Methods facilities for public meetings and Recruitment and Training and Approaches socio-cultural and economic activities of Facilitators which are necessary for cultural pres- The participants in the Ganokendra ervation and for promoting peaceful Generally, the GP attracts communi- activities learn through practical coexistence, community development ty-based personnel (mostly women) work (for vocational skills training), and social empowerment. with lower educational qualifications self-reading, guided reading, and professional teaching capacities. socio-cultural activities and discus- Known as Community Workers, sions. Literacy skills training support PROGRAMME these facilitators are recruited locally is provided by programme facilitators IMPLEMENTATION: by DAM field offices in consultation through centre-based consultations APPROACHES AND with the Ganokendra management and discussions (CLCs are open for METHODOLOGIES committees. They work mostly as five days a week, two to three hours para-volunteers; a nominal allow- a day). In addition, learners are also ance is paid to them to recognise allowed to borrow books for home- Organisational Arrangements their contribution to the society. based study and facilitators often Accordingly and in order to ensure conduct home visits to assist families From the outset, local communities the effective implementation of the in their studies. The learners study in or programme beneficiaries were GP, DAM provides all programme groups, and graded reading materials actively consulted and involved in the facilitators and supervisors with are supplied to suit the ability levels development and implementation of professional training in non-formal of the readers. Specialists working in the GP. Thus, apart from providing education and management of various fields are also invited to share land, labour, construction materials CLCs. So far, DAM’s training division information with the participants and money needed for the establish- has provided training to more than through issue-based discussion ment of Ganokendra or CLCs, DAM three thousand facilitators and two sessions. has also entrusted local communities hundred supervisors. In particular, the (through their elected management Training of Trainers (ToT) programme committees) with the overall respon- trains facilitators and supervisors in: PROGRAMME IMPACT sibility of managing the centres, AND CHALLENGES initiating and managing centre-based ■■ non-formal education teaching learning activities, and recruiting and methods; facilitating the provision of profes- ■■ community mobilisation and ca- Monitoring and Evaluation sional training to a centre manager pacity building; (known as Community Worker) and ■■ management of CLCs; Typically, the Management programme tutors or facilitators. ■■ functional organisational network- Information System (MIS) unit of In addition, the CLC management ing; DAM’s Planning and Monitoring committees and programme facilita- ■■ planning and implementation Division monitors Ganokendra oper- tors are also responsible for sourcing of community development pro- ations on a regular basis and against and producing the necessary learning grammes; a set of indicators. Performance materials such as booklets, posters, ■■ development of locally-focused is also monitored through regular magazines, charts, newsletters and curriculum and learning materials and reports from the facilitators, super- audio-visuals and for and stocking ■■ assessment or evaluation non-for- visors and area coordinators. These the centres with these. The local mal educational outcomes. reports are cross-examined by MIS CLC management committees are personnel during their field visits. In supported in these endeavours by addition, the central management DAM, various development NGOs Mobilisation of Participants team of DAM (programme officers, and local government bodies. Further programme coordinator and the funding for the CLCs is provided by The participants of a Ganokendra director) make inspection visits to DAM. The money generated through come from various segments of assess the management, networking these processes is used, among other population in the community where and learning support programmes 50 Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development of CLCs. After field-level and central Challenges that community-based non-formal office analysis of the reports and educational programmes are more the visit findings, the local centres The following are key challenges that effective and successful when receive feedback with regard to their have been encountered to date: they harness and are built on local activities. resources, capacity and knowledge ■■ Developing a facility to suit diverse systems and when local communities learning needs and securing the are actively engaged and involved Impact availability of a venue for a multi-pur- in the planning and management pose centre like the Ganokendra is of learning activities. The success Since being instituted in 1992, the often difficult. Usually the land for and sustainability of non-formal GP has made critical and positive the Ganokendra is donated by a local educational programmes is also contributions in promoting Lifelong philanthropist, and is often limited in closely dependent on their potential Learning, combating illiteracy, size. With the expansion of the activi- to address local challenges and fulfil developing communities, creating ties, it becomes imperative to develop people’s basic needs as well as on sustainable livelihood opportunities more facilities, which demands more effective capacity building. for marginalised members of society land and resources. (poverty alleviation) and effecting ■■ In expanding, it becomes diffi- social empowerment and transfor- cult for the facilitators to manage a SOURCES mation. Significantly, these positive diverse group of participants and an contributions to societal well-being expanding range of activities, due ■■ Alam, K. Rafiqul. Learning Creation and development have largely been of their limited capacity and other of Society Through Community achieved through the use of local preoccupations. The absence of fi- Learning Centres (Ganokendra): An resources, capacity and knowledge nancial and professional development Innovative Approach of Basic and systems. incentives for programme facilitators Lifelong Learning in Bangladesh. sometimes become a de-motivating ■■ DVV/Ganokendra – People’s The programme has led to a decrease factor for them. Forum for Lifelong Learning and in adult illiteracy rates while, at the ■■ The activities of CLCs, particular- Social Development: The Bangladesh same time, equipping many adults ly those in remote areas, are often Experience with vocational skills and supporting undermined by lack of resources; sup- ■■ “Ganokendra: The Innovative them to establish a variety of port from local governmental bodies Interventions for Lifelong Learning income-generating projects. These is not available in some cases, due to and Community Development” in projects have progressively led to their own resource constraints. Handbook on Effective Implementa- community development and thus tion of Continuing Education at the improvements in the quality of life of Grassroots by UNESCO Principal Re- rural people. Improvements in rural or SUSTAINABILITY gional Office for Asia and the Pacific, poor people’s living standards as well Bangkok (2001), as their perceptions on the role and As a direct product of the process ■■ Asia South Pacific Bureau of Adult value of education in their lives have of people mobilisation, and the Education (ASPBAE), India (2000): positively motivated many parents to creation of a people’s platform at Beyond Literacy – Ganokendra support their children’s education. As community level, GP is sustained a result, the enrolment of children in through its established links with rural schools has steadily increased. local service-providing agencies. The CONTACT In addition, the GP has also provided contribution from the community marginalised communities with access both for physical set-up development The Executive Director to information and a forum to meet and programmatic expansion enables Mr. M. Ehsanur Rahman and discuss their local problems and the Ganokendra to continue. DAM Dhaka Ahsania Mission developmental needs. Access to develops the management capacity of House No. 19, Road No 12 information has improved people’s the Ganokendra committee members Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1209 awareness of their civic rights and through training and exposure visits, Bangladesh their health needs which, in turn, has so that they can continue operation Tel. (880-2) 8119521-22, 9123402, resulted in positive social empow- of the centres once DAM support is 9123420 erment and transformation. It has phased out. By now more than 200 Fax: (880-2) 8113010, 8118522 also enabled formerly marginalised Ganokendras run self-sufficiently Email: [email protected], ed@ communities to actively participate through mobilizing local resources; ahsaniamission.org in local decision-making processes. in some cases, DAM provided Furthermore, the GP has led to im- only technical support for further provements in community cohesion, strengthening of their management providing a forum for the peaceful capacity. discussion of solutions for community problems. LESSONS LEARNED
A key lesson that has emerged since the inception of the programme is 51
CAMBODIA
Supporting Maternal and Child Health Improvement and Building Literate Environment (SMILE)
Implementing Organization displaying rather discouraging pic- civil war and political instability by Asia-Pacific Cultural Centre ture. In addition, literacy rates among empowering women in both their for UNESCO (ACCU) and adults in 2009 were 83% among men productive and reproductive capaci- the Cambodian Women’s and 66% among women, lagging ties through education, organisation, Development Agency (CWDA) significantly behind the average of and self-development, access to East Asia and Pacific region (97% resources, advocacy and cooperation. Language of Instruction among males, 91% female). There are Khmer some concerns for Cambodia’s health conditions. According to UNICEF SMILE CAMBODIA PROJECT Programme Partners (2012), Cambodia’s maternal mortal- The Ministry of Education, Youth and ity rate is the fourth lowest in East The Supporting Maternal and Child Sport (MoEYS) and local authorities Asia and the Pacific, indicating the Health Improving and Literate need for more support for improving Environment (SMILE) project was Date of Inception maternal health. formulated by the Asia-Pacific 2009 Cultural Centre for UNESCO (ACCU) as a new model which integrates Asia-Pacific Cultural Centre literacy and maternal and child health BACKGROUND for UNESCO (ACCU) education, as well as creating a AND CONTEXT literate environment at home and in In line with the principles of UNESCO, communities, thereby contributing During the Khmer Rouge regime in the Asia/Pacific Cultural Centre for to the acquisition and sustainment of the 70s, Cambodia’s education sys- UNESCO (ACCU) has been working women’s literacy. The SMILE project tem was severely damaged. Schools since 1971 for the promotion of has been implemented in Cambodia were closed or demolished, and many mutual understanding and education- since 2009. CWDA adapted this of the educators died in forced labour al and cultural co-operation among project in Cambodia as a pilot project camps or were killed by the Khmer peoples in Asia and the Pacific, by in one district in the outskirts of Rouge. Reconstruction has been in implementing various programmes in Phnom Penh city and in one district in place since the end of the regime but the fields of literacy, book develop- Prey Veng province. Currently, SMILE there is still a scarcity of schools and ment, and culture. operates in 11 villages in the Phnom State schools are under-equipped. Penh municipality. The participants Very often, classes are conducted of the SMILE project are illiterate and without textbooks for the students, Cambodian Women’s neo literate expectant mothers and and teachers are underpaid. These Development Agency (CWDA) mothers with children age 0-5. factors make it difficult for students to access schools and receive a Founded in May 1993, the quality education. Cambodian Women’s Development Aims and Objectives Agency (CWDA) grew out of the According to World Bank data, in Phnom Penh municipality. CWDA is a ■■ To improve women’s conditions the last decade in Cambodia, there small non-profit, non-governmental with regard to education and health was a sharp decrease in the number organisation with no religious or ■■ To build a literate environment at of children not attending primary political affiliation. CWDA works with home and community school, (201,277 in 2000 to 72,886 women and children. It has strong ■■ To improve the health condition of in 2010) and a significant increase of links in the communities in which it mothers and children the net intake rate in grade 1 (71 % operates. CWDA aims to promote in 2000 to 90% in 2010). Whilst these self-sufficiency and self-reliance in numbers are positive for Cambodian Cambodian communities and to education, the number of students advance women’s economic and who reached the final grade in 2010 social rights. It seeks to address the was only 54.4% and this number socio-economic and psychological has not changed since 2000, 54.7% problems resulting from Cambodia’s 52 Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development
PROGRAMME become government-contracted where teachers and parents commu- IMPLEMENTATION: teachers. Facilitators were taught nicate in writing. APPROACHES AND the necessary skills and knowledge METHODS to successfully deliver SMILE classes. Learners are also encouraged to: The project orientation workshop for teaching methods and monitoring ■■ read books and other materials Curriculum and Materials were organized for three days at about health, which they can borrow CWDA office and attended by from the libraries maintained by the The content of the curriculum was facilitators, chiefs of villages and facilitators, at home, collected from the three literacy text commune council members. The ■■ read and tell stories to their chil- books developed by the Department workshop covered theory and hands- dren and other family members as of Non-Formal Education in the on practice (e.g., discussion groups well as to help children with school Cambodian Ministry of Education, on making lesson plans, teaching work and learning, and Youth and Sport (MoEYS). Topics demonstration). In addition, 20 days ■■ visit their health centre for check- were selected on the basis of being of training in pedagogy was provided ups and to use vaccination and child relevant to health for mothers and by Department of Education Youth development records. Facilitators visit children. Selected topics are related and Sport in municipality (DoEYS). learners’ houses to follow-up learn- to: women and child health care, ers’ learning and to encourage those hygiene, food nutrition, and disease who missed classes to keep attending protection. There are also topics on SMILE Classes the class. agriculture and community develop- ment. The curriculum, the guidebook SMILE classes are delivered by the for facilitators, and the textbook facilitators for 10 months in their Certificate for learners were written by CWDA villages (2 hours per day and twice a and approved by the Department of week-the total instruction hours for A certificate is provided to the learn- Non-Formal Education of MoEYS. class is 160 hours). For each class, ers who achieved passing score from Facilitators were given a guidebook there are 15 to 20 learners. Those literacy tests administered during the and they are in charge of developing classes take place in the communities project. The certificate is issued by their own lesson plans. The text book (e.g., in the villages’ ceremony hall or the Department of Education, Youth contains information about health in the facilitator’s house, wherever and Sport in the Municipality. which is divided into topics (one topic most appropriate, and is chosen by per lesson). Learners are provided the facilitator, village chief and com- with a photocopied textbook. Each mune council members with advice PROGRAMMES IMPACT lesson includes a large picture to from the CWDA staff). Most of the AND CHALLENGES illustrate the topic, an introduction, learners are farmers and require time key words and exercises to complete. off from learning to plant and harvest They are also given an exercise book, rice in June, July, August, December Monitoring and Evaluation a bag and writing materials. and January so that they have extra classes in the other months to ensure Regular monitoring and docu- that the course is completed. The mentation of project activities are Selection of Learners classes cover basic literacy in Khmer, conducted throughout the project and numeracy combined with health implementation period. CWDA staff An assessment is implemented to information specific to mothers and visits each class on a weekly basis and select learners who are children. In each class, the facilitator hold monthly meetings with learners, introduces a health related topic to facilitators, and community members. ■■ either illiterate or neo-literate and discuss with learners. This activity Commune Council members and ■■ mothers or expectant mothers. A is followed by reading and writing village chiefs monitor classes 2-3 short literacy/numeracy test is admin- activities on the topic. The learning times a month. istered and an interview is conducted is student-centred (i.e. learners talk by the CWDA staff. more than the facilitator; activities Monitoring and documentation which facilitate learners’ active include: participation are used) and learners Facilitator Selection are provided an opportunity to apply ■■ records of learners’ attendance at and Training the knowledge they gained in real life SMILE classes scenarios. ■■ progress and performance of facil- The facilitators were selected on itators and progress and performance the basis of the following factors: In addition to the textbook, supple- of learners is literate, is willing to help the mentary materials are also used to ■■ facilitators’ and learners’ feedback community, has commitment, is promote the learned literacy skills on the curriculum and teaching learn- self-confident, and has recognition in daily life. Those materials include ing materials from the local authority and people in vaccination and child development ■■ number of learners using health the village. They were first volunteers records, income and expenditure care services receiving some monthly incentives checklist, and children’s school books ■■ learners’ feedback on gift packag- from CWDA, but they have recently es they received (e.g., Khmer alpha- Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development 53
bet poster, books relate to mothers of the project. These comparison Learner’s testimony: and child care) data show a clear benefit for the ■■ usage of reading corners learners in the SMILE. Recently, three “After attending in the SMILE class, ■■ evidence of community support additional literacy skill achievement I can now read a religious book of for the class tests developed by the Department Buddhism and picture books…I of Non-formal Education (DNFE) borrow books from a reading corner The evaluation of the project out- are incorporated. The scores from in the SMILE class. I can now write comes is conducted at the mid-way these achievement tests will be used easy words.” point and at the end of the project. It in the future to accredit learners’ includes the following activities: achievements which are equal to the Knowledge of Health Care fourth grade level in formal school. ■■ interview the target group, facilita- The impact on learners and the The participants learned how to take tor and stakeholders (chief of village, community, based on observations care of themselves during pregnancy commune women affairs officer, from project stuff and community and after the birth of a child and rec- commune council member); and members and reports from learners, ognize the importance of attending ■■ check any evidence of perfor- is described below. regular checkups at the health centre. mance of learners which they men- They have taken the knowledge tioned they have done (e.g., income they gained in the SMILE classes to and expenditure check list, children’s Learners practice with their family members at school book, health card). home (e.g., educating their children Literacy skills about sanitation and taking their children for treatment at the health Impact After attending the SMILE class, the centre when they were ill rather than learners were able to read, write, and buying medicine from a shop). The average number of participants calculate. They now: reached annually was 150. From 2009 Learner’s testimony: until 2012, 710 participants attended ■■ use children’s school books the SMILE classes. The impact of the (understand teachers’ comments “After I attended the SMILE class project on learners’ literacy level, on children’s work, and reply to the for 3 months, I came to know that their attitude toward the reading and teachers), my past habits on health were not learning activities, the health condi- ■■ make income and expense check- correct…I have not had good health tion of mothers and children, practice lists, and and my facilitator encouraged me to of maternal and child health care are ■■ understand written record in the go to the health centre… As a result, assessed in comparison with baseline health card. I have discovered I have tuberculosis data collected from the beginning 54 Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development and now I take tablets prescribed by knowledge regarding health related withdrawal. Learners, their families, the doctor…” issues; therefore, in addition to the and members of the community 3 day orientation workshop, more are profoundly interested in seeing Others training (follow-up) was necessary. the project continue. CWDA will hold discussions with the commune There is an increased participation Some learners unfortunately did councils regarding the continuation of in the community and family life. not make as much progress as the activities. Participants reported increased anticipated. Exact reasons for this self-esteem, confidence, and earning occurrence needs to be investigated; potential. Furthermore, they became modifications to the methodology LESSONS LEARNED themselves educators through sharing needs to be made. knowledge with other members of CWDA requested that local officials/ the community. Limited funding is one of the major commune council members provide challenges. Although the current support for monitoring. However, Community private donors are aware of the they were not provided reim- importance of supporting literacy, it bursement for the travel expenses; The community also gained knowl- has been difficult to secure funds for therefore, their monitoring visits edge about the value of a literate the project. were less regular than was hoped. It environment and solidarity. The became clear that their travel must learning was disseminated to the The expansion of this project to more be compensated for more effective members of the community who remote areas, where there are greater monitoring. In order to fully embed have not participated in the SMILE numbers of women who are illiterate the programme into the community class (e.g., neighbours, husbands, or neo-literate, would be of great and become sustainable, provisions children of non-participant mothers). benefit. However the accessibility for longer term support (two years, Several learners are now teaching of those locations would make it instead of one year for each location) their children how to read and difficult for our staff to reach those of SMILE classes need to be consid- write and encourage children to places in order to implement the ered. go to school. By using income and projects and to monitor them and expenditure checklist, some learners provide ongoing support. saved money to send their children REFERENCES to school. It was witnessed that there was a decrease in absence rates from SUSTAINABILITY ■■ CWDA annual report 2010, ac- local schools. cessed on June 18, 2012 Currently, support from CWDA is ■■ World Bank: World Development Learner’s testimony: provided to each SMILE class for 10 Indicators database, June 2012 months. After the 10 month period, ■■ UNICEF (2012). The state of the “I joined the SMILE class, because I CWDA refers each class to local world’s children 2012. Children in an wanted to get more knowledge and authorities who continue to run Urban World. teach my daughter…I can now read, the classes. This initial 10 months write and calculate and teach my only just allows enough time for the daughter. Sometimes we read the stakeholders (e.g., chief of village CONTACT alphabet chart together and I feel and commune council) to begin that her reading has improved” understanding the project, therefore, Hun Phanna provision of additional support from Acting Executive Director, CWDA The project was also a learning CWDA would be ideal in order for the 19, street 242, Sangkat Boeung Prolit, opportunity for village chiefs. In one programme to be fully sustainable Khan 7 Makara of the villages, with the village chief’s and to continue in villages. Despite Phnom Penh, Cambodia suggestion, after a lesson covered in this limitation, some actions have Tel: 855-23-210-449 SMILE class about the importance of made to promote the sustainability Fax: 855-23-210-487 cleaning and repairing roads for hy- of the programme, such as meeting Email:[email protected] giene and security purpose, learners , with commune council to ensure that facilitators, and village chief went out funding for SMILE classes is written Rie Koarai to the community and improved their into the community development Programme Specialist, Education communities’ road conditions. plans. Also, all facilitators, who were Cooperation Division, ACCU volunteers, are now government 6 Fukuromachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo contracted teachers and receive 162-8484 Japan Challenges payment from the government. Tel: +81-3-3269-4559 CWDA is considering including the Fax: +81-3-3269-4510 One of the challenges is the capacity topic on the programme’s sustaina- E-mail: [email protected] of facilitators. They have been out bility into the orientation training so Website: http://www.accu.or.jp/jp/en/ of school for a while and one of that the facilitators, village chiefs and index.html the facilitators needed to upgrade commune council members know her literacy skills. They also did not how to make plans for the continua- have prior teaching experiences and tion of the programme after CWDA’s 55
CHINA
Community Learning Centres (CLC) Programme
Implementing Organization educational system. Indeed, it THE CLC PROGRAMME Gansu Provincial Institute of has been established that despite Educational Science (SCPIES) concerted efforts to promote access The CLC is an extensive, integrated to education for all, huge disparities and community-based literacy and Date of Inception continue to exist with regard to the life skills training programme of 1998 provision of basic education across non-formal education which primarily China’s geographically, economically targets illiterate and semi-literate out- and demographically diverse regions. of-school youths and adults (aged 15 CONTEXT AND For instance, in Gansu – one of the to 45) living in the socioeconomically BACKGROUND country’s poorest and most under- underdeveloped counties of Gansu developed provinces – the overall province. The programme was initially China has made great strides in standard of education remains very implemented in Shibaxian village, universalising the provision of basic low and the nine-year compulsory ed- Zhenyuan county (Gansu province) education in recent years. Following ucation system has only been partially within the context of the central the successful implementation of an successful due to a lack of sustained government’s “open the west” policy extensive national literacy campaign funding and high levels of poverty which is primarily “designed to raise since the 1950s, the government of among the province’s population the standard of development [and China also introduced the compulsory (although education is free, parents thus the living standards of people education law (1986) which guaran- are obliged to pay auxiliary fees living] in the poorer western prov- teed all children aged 6 to 15 years which are exorbitant for many). This inces lagging behind the prosperous the right to receive nine years of free sad reality is poignantly manifested eastern seaboard”. To this end, the education (i.e. from elementary to by the fact that the primary school programme provides learners with junior high school). In short, this law net enrolment rate in the province contextually appropriate basic literacy made access to education free and was about 79 per cent compared to and life skills training in a range of compulsory for every child. In 1988, the national average rate of 99 per subjects including: the government also instituted the cent between 2005 and 2010 and the famous and ambitious “two-basics” school dropout rate averaged 15–30 ■■ basic literacy (reading, writing and system which primarily aimed to per cent during the same period. As arithmetic/maths); further entrench the 1986 law and a result, more than 20 per cent of ■■ livelihood or income-generating thus to improve access to quality Gansu’s total population of over 24 skills training (in, for example, farm- basic education for all as well as to million was illiterate or semi-literate ing techniques, animal husbandry, expand adult non-formal education as of year 2000. Currently, the overall cash crop production and honey and eliminate adult illiteracy by the illiteracy rate in the province is about production / bee keeping); year 2000. Accordingly, State invest- 8.69 per cent while the adult illiteracy ■■ gender and health awareness ment into the educational sector was rates for men and women are 20 per (in, for example, HIV/AIDS, mater- substantially increased over the years cent and 40 per cent respectively. nal health, infant mortality, family in line with these policy initiatives. planning, personal hygiene, sanita- As a result, the 2010 national census Thus, in an effort to combat the tion, reproductive health and family established that China had achieved scourge of illiteracy, promote nutrition); and near-universal primary school net general socioeconomic development ■■ environmental management / enrolment and youth literacy rates and agricultural production in the conservation. while its total adult literacy rate rose province (about 75 per cent of markedly from 66 per cent in 1982 to Gansu’s population is based in rural The adoption of such an integrated 91 per cent in 2000 and 94 per cent areas and thus largely depends on curriculum is primarily intended to by 2010. Overall, the illiteracy rate in farming for its existence) as well as boost programme attendance and the young and middle-aged popu- improving people’s overall well-being, retention rates as well as enabling lation group has fallen from over 80 the Gansu Provincial Institute of SCPIES to effectively cater for the per cent down to about 5 per cent. Educational Science (SCPIES) initiated diverse learning needs of participants, the Community Learning Centres a majority of whom are more inter- However, these impressive gains (CLCs) Programme in 1998. ested in acquiring practical life skills overshadow the great disparities that that would enable them to improve continue to plague the country’s 56 Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development their living standards as well as being is encumbered by the lack of quality adopted others that were developed self-reliant. human resources. This is particularly and produced by its institutional the case in Gansu province which is partners. These include, for example: not only under-developed but has Aims and Objectives been hard-hit by the migration of ■■ reading and writing in life young and educated residents to the (produced by the Gansu Provincial The CLC programme primarily aims to more developed eastern frontier in Department of Education); combat the scourge of illiteracy and search of greener opportunities. In ■■ maths and arithmetic in life to facilitate socio-economic develop- order to circumvent this challenge (produced by the Gansu Provincial ment in Gansu province, particularly and to ensure the effective and Department of Education); and in Zhenyuan County which is the sustainable implementation of ■■ AIDS prevention. poorest part of the province. More the CLC, SCPIES has established specifically, the CLC endeavours to: functional partnerships with various specialised institutions including: Teaching-Learning Approaches ■■ combat the scourge of illiteracy Gansu Provincial Department among socially disadvantaged and of Education; Gansu Provincial As noted above, the CLC is an marginalised youths and adults in the Academy of Agriculture Science, integrated basic literacy and life skills province, Gansu Department of Health and the programme, thus learners are obliged ■■ promote equal and sustainable ac- local school, Banpo Village School. to participate in both the literacy and cess to quality basic education for all; These institutions not only provide life skills classes. The teaching-learn- ■■ foster a culture and system of SCPIES with technical advice for ing units are therefore designed or lifelong learning in marginalised rural the design and development of the structured as follows: areas; curriculum and implementation of ■■ improve agricultural productivity the programme, but also second their Literacy instruction. Two qualified in order to increase the incomes of professionals to provide specialised teachers have been hired from the rural communities and combat rural training to CLC programme learners. local school, Banpo Village School, to poverty; Given that most of these facilitators provide literacy training (i.e. reading, ■■ promote rural socio-economic are not trained in non-formal writing and arithmetic) to learners development; education and lack practical training using teaching-learning materials ■■ empower rural communities; experience, SCPIES provides them that were designed and produced by ■■ support governmental educational with a wide range of skills in non-for- the Gansu Provincial Department of programmes, especially the nine-year mal educational practices, including: Education. To date, five classes with compulsory basic education; and a total of 220 learners have been ■■ strengthen social cohesion. ■■ Design, development and use of conducted. teaching-learning materials; ■■ Lesson planning; Agricultural Training. Experts PROGRAMME ■■ Appropriate adult teaching-learn- from Gansu Provincial Academy of IMPLEMENTATION: ing methods or approaches; Agriculture Science were hired to APPROACHES AND ■■ Class room management practices; train learners in the best practices METHODOLOGIES ■■ Development and production of producing a variety of local crops of appropriate teaching-learning (e.g. walnuts, apples, wheat, corn, To date, SCPIES have instituted a materials; broom corn millet and beans) and an- number of practical steps in order to ■■ Management of CLCs and net- imals (e.g. cattle, sheep and rabbits) ensure the efficient and sustainable working with other stakeholders, and on a commercial basis. The course implementation of the CLC pro- ■■ Assessment and evaluation of is conducted over three days after gramme. These include: teaching-learning outcomes. which the learners are provided with instruction materials for home-based ■■ the construction of the Shibaxian Once trained, accredited professionals practical use. About 612 learners have Rural Community Learning Centre are tasked to provide both literacy so far participated in the agricultural which is used as the site of pro- and livelihood skills training services class. gramme activities; to learners for which they are paid ■■ the mobilisation of learners a daily stipend of about 1,500 Yuan Health Awareness. Health through community-based sensitisa- (about USD 155) for their services. awareness classes are conducted by tion programmes; and student volunteers from local medical ■■ establishing functional relations colleges. Over 852 learners have with other specialised institutions Development of Teaching- participated in the health awareness including donor agents, local schools Learning Materials classes. and specialised institutes. Recruitment and Training of In order to facilitate the efficient and In addition to these central activities, Programme Facilitators sustainable implementation of the the programme also provides employ- CLC programme, SCPIES has devel- ment awareness training to commu- More often than not, the imple- oped a variety of teaching-learning nity members planning to migrate mentation of community-based materials for use by learners and to other regions in search of work non-formal educational programmes programme facilitators. It has also as well as centre-based assistance Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development 57 to primary school children. To date, Apart from improving local living CONTACT about 425 learners have participated standards, the programme also allows in the employment counselling class- community members to cooperate SCPIES es. Furthermore, the centre is also in undertaking social activities. In so Qin Zhigong (Project Leader) used by community members to host doing, the programme has helped Email [email protected] various social activities as well as to to enhance social cohesion, peaceful Tel.: 0931 896 06 79 conduct income-generating learning co-existence and perverse local Fax: 86 0931 896 06 79 activities such as hand embroidery. cultural traditions,
The programme has created op- PROGRAMME IMPACT portunities for ordinary community AND CHALLENGES members to proactively participate in the operation and administration of the learning centre. This bottom-up Impact approach to CLC management has enabled communities to better The CLC programme has made some understand the limits and possibilities impressive contributions towards of the education process and see development, poverty alleviation more value in its results as well as through improved agricultural pro- taking greater responsibility in the ductivity, social empowerment, and development of their communities. the creation of literate environments in Shibaxian Village. More specifically, the major impacts of the programme Challenges are as follows: Despite these successes, the pro- The illiteracy rate in Shibaxian Village gramme is also encumbered with dropped from a high of 22.9 per practical challenges. More often cent to 3.26 per cent since the than not, community members inception of the programme. Most find it difficult to balance the need programme graduates are now able of participating in the classes with to read and write about 2,000 basic the need to undertake their daily Chinese characters. Furthermore, the livelihood activities. This has often programme has engendered a culture forced many potential learners to of learning within the community and forgo participation in the programme as such, many parents are now more or to participate only on an inter- inclined to support the education of mittent basis. Furthermore, cultural their children than before. traditions such as child rearing have also prevented many women from The programme has enabled a participating in the programme. number of villagers to establish viable The programme also lacks adequate income-generating projects and thus funding since it only has one funding to improve their living standards as partner (Oxfam Hong Kong). Financial well as promoting community devel- constraints have, in turn, forced opment. For instance, one partici- SCPIES to maintain a low intake rate pant, Wang Naiwa, largely depended as well as to reduce the number of on subsistence crop farming before centre-based activities. participating in the CLC programme’s agricultural training project. However, after participating in the programme, SOURCES Wang Naiwa established a viable crop and beaver rabbit production project ■■ Mott MacDonald Group, Gansu and now earns about 5,000 Yuan Basic Education Project (GBEP), China, (about USD 775) per year. Not only ■■ Give2Asia, Greatest Needs: Sup- has this project liberated Wang from porting education in Rural China his heavy dependence on subsistence ■■ Stephen, McCutcheon, 5 January farming, but it has also prevented 2008, Gansu Basic Education Project: him from migrating to other regions A guiding light. on an annual basis in search of work. ■■ China Daily, Sept., 2003, Education Furthermore, it has also enabled brings a better tomorrow him to produce more food resources for his family and to invest in the education of his children, 58
INDIA
Teaching the Nomads in the Wild
Implementing Organization Due to their nomadic way of life and NLM) Award for its outstanding Rural Litigation and unwillingness to move out of their contribution to the Adult Education Entitlement Kendra (RLEK) forest dwellings, the peace loving, Programme for the tribal Van Gujjar vegetarian Van Gujjars have remained community. Language of Instruction dominantly illiterate. Hindi, Gujjari It has been against this background Aims and Objectives Funding that for more than four decades The Ministry of Human Resource the Rural Litigation and Entitlement The main objectives of the pro- Development, Government of India Kendra (RLEK) - a Non-Governmental gramme were: (the first three years), the community Organization - has been working with the tribal and nomadic communities ■■ to promote literacy in the Van Date of Inception in the hill state of Uttarakhand. The Gujjar community with a special focus 1993 organization has evolved after years on improving their livelihood skills of struggle against the discrimination which is mainly dependent on the towards underprivileged and margin- markets of dairy products CONTEXT AND alized Van Gujjar communities in the ■■ to raise awareness and thus pro- BACKGROUND region. The organization’s strategy tect the community from exploitation has been “Reaching the Unreached” at the hands of forest officials and With more than 350 tribal commu- and “Including the Excluded”. Its money lenders nities, India is estimated to have efforts aim at achieving “a just and ■■ To empower the community to a nomadic population of at least sustainable society” and its Mission stand up for their rights and bring 60 million (between 7-10% of the Statement has been “to empower an end to the oppression they have population). Sadly, marginalization indigenous groups, marginalized faced for years. continues to characterize the nomad- populations, women and children to ic experience while urbanization and claim their rights.” environmental conservation schemes The Bane of Illiteracy continue to threaten the livelihood To meet these goals, since its of nomads. The Van Gujjars—India’s inception in 1970s RLEK has pursued The increasing illiteracy and ignorance legendary and colorful nomads of different lines of actions and conduct- did put them at the receiving end Uttarakhand—have not been an ed projects in various but interlinked of the government officials, forest exception. fields such as legal protection, gender bureaucracy, moneylenders, middle- equity, women rights and empow- men and milk traders. The marginal- For centuries the community of erment, environmental protection, ized and politically non-existent Van Van Gujjars has lived in the forests human rights, and adult education Gujjars used to be cheated of their of the Siwalik and the Himalayan and literacy. dues by milk traders. This was simply highland pastures where the summer because the community did not know months are spent. The people have Under the aegis of the National how to count and keep an account developed a sustainable relationship Literacy Mission, RLEK identified of the milk supplied and payment with the environment,becoming part illiteracy of the Van Gujjars to be received. For long Van Gujjars used to of its biodiversity. Their lives center the root cause of their exploitation. barter milk for their daily essentials. on tending to their buffaloes and To remedy the situation, in the In fact, milk traders used to advance producing milk products. However, early 1990s it started a unique and loans to Van Gujjars at a very high over the last few decades, Van innovative adult literacy programme rate of interest, and commodities Gujjars like many other nomadic - Teaching the Nomads in the Wild. such as cattle feed required by groups have had to deal with rapid The programme has been appraised them were made available at their changes to their way of life; while a both nationally and internationally. In doorsteps with a view to ensure that large section of top-down policies 1998 the Rotary International Awards the community remains dependent remain highly unsympathetic to for Service to Humanity (India) Trust on them. The Van Gujjars are true them. It is deeply unfortunate that Award was bestowed upon RLEK for followers of Gandhi, believing in the systemic inequities and injustices its innovative education programme need and not greed. Their philosophy have deprived these communities for the Van Gujjars. In the same is that one should not have more of their fundamental human rights year, the program won the UNESCO belongings than they can carry on such as the right to access education. National Literacy Mission (UNESCO- their or their mules’ back. Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development 59
Nomadic Instinct them to read road signs, billboards which it declared that any volunteer and registration numbers of heavy who would be arrested for educating Ecologists who have studied the com- vehicles, many of which used to zoom the Van Gujjars would be rewarded munity from close quarters point out past Dehra Dun after killing their with Rs. 10,000 by RLEK and also that the nomadic practice contributes cattle. The timings of the teaching a letter would be written to the to the regeneration of vegetation in were decided upon after taking into President of India for honoring such the forest stretches left behind by the account the daily routine of the com- volunteers. This announcement community for summer. And as the munity. For Van Gujjar families in the regenerated the confidence and winter approaches, Van Gujjars return RNP it was a point of prestige to host courage amongst the young volun- to the forests stretches in Shivaliks. these volunteer teachers. Indeed, teers. After seeing the courage and For those unaccustomed to such a sharing the colourful and healthy commitment of the young educators way of life the nomadic instinct of lifestyle of this nomadic pastoral tribe the Forest Department was forced the community may appear terribly was a novelty for them. into a silence. unrewarding and anachronistic. But nomadism has its own rewards and excitement. Van Gujjars, who have a The Mobile teachers Use of Information sound insight into the intricacies of Communication nature, can be described as barefoot In order to prevent recidivism, the Technolgy (ICT) botanists, since they know each plant teachers trekked up and down with and herb in and around their forest the community and their buffalo RLEK believes that if you are em- dwellings. herds during their transhumance powering someone you are disem- and also stayed with them in the powering another. This was true in highland pastures during the summer case of the Van Gujjars who became Literacy Key to the solution months. And they would move back empowered through the adult educa- to the forests of Shivaliks for the tion programme. They were harassed The nomadic lifestyle, involving winter along with the community. In by the forest department and milk habitation deep inside the forest this way, it was ensured that there traders/middlemen, this harassment and a thinly spread population over was continuity in the adult literacy reaching its height in 1994. Under a vast geographic stretch made programme which laid stress on these circumstances RLEK asked the task of turning the Van Gujjars functional aspects of literacy, making the Ministry of Telecommunication, literate highly challenging. Moreover the community reliant in keeping it Government of India to allot two they were not mentally attuned accounts, lodging police complaints, frequencies of wireless i.e., 167.525 to the benefits of being exposed petitioning the authorities for the MHZ & 167.725 MHZ, and RLEK to literacy and education. But the redressal of grievances and fighting distributed 100 wireless sets to the RLEK programme was clearly against for their rights. The community was Van Gujjars, so that in an emergency changing cultural patterns of the Van taught how to read and write Hindi situation they could communicate Gujjars, existing only for the sake besides simple arithmetic. with each other.. This is how of creating a well-functioning adult RLEK used the tool of Information literacy programme. RLEK believed in Communication Technology in the preserving the culture of Van Gujjars Threat to the programme form of wireless, which gave these and strengthing their culture by communities the much needed imparting education. The RLEK adult literacy campaign also confidence and boost. Now, each faced opposition from RNP author- family is also using mobile handsets. ities who tried to put hurdles in the INNOVATIVE EDUCATION movement of volunteer teachers, by The United Nations invited me as a PROGRAMME citing the provisions of forest conser- panelist and Mr. Talib, a Van Gujjar vation laws. As Lai Nambardar, a Van neo-literate and user of wireless To support this ambitious and inno- Gujjar elder from Mohand range said, technology at the World Summit in vative adult education programme, “They (RLEK) are doing what no one Geneva held in December, 2003 to a forest academy of sorts was put else dared or even thought of”. deliver a talk on the importance of in place with 350 highly motivated local content within Information and volunteer teachers. These young RLEK got three warning letters from Communication Technology. barefoot “literacy missionaries” were the forest department stating that trained and deployed in the Van educating the Van Gujjars in the Gujjar settlements to teach the tribals forest area was illegal and the adult A Challenging Campaign at their doorsteps. Indeed RLEKs education programme (which was educational campaign deep in the a national programme) should be In order to counter the argument wild was reminiscent of the ancient stopped with immediate effect. that the RLEK literacy campaign in Indian gurkula where the teacher The forest department further Van Gujjar settlements was an “eye and taught had a “noble and abiding stated that if the programme was not wash” and “publicity stunt”, Van relationship”. For instance, Puran discontinued with immediate effect Gujjar Saksharata Mela (Literacy Singh, a teacher who used to sleep in the volunteers would be arrested. Festivals) were organized at Mohand the dwelling of the community, along Subsequently, RLEK called a meeting near Dehra Dun every 6 months with their herds of buffaloes, taught of Van Gujjars and volunteers in where neo-literate Van Gujjar men, 60 Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development women and children demonstrated schools exclusively for the children of beginning also requested to join at their literacy skill in the presence of Van Gujjar community at Mohand, later points. educationists, social workers and Dhaula Thappar, Sahasra and Tarbar administrators. Mustaq, a young Van at Gaindikhata. Teaching the Nomads in the Wild was Gujjar boy from Saharanpur said that a need-based intervention and unlike a year ago his world was confined These schools are a reversal of many similar literacy programmes to just grazing buffaloes and selling the usual top-down approach, as which target children, RLEK decided milk .He was candid enough to state, RLEK believes in the power of grass to focus the literacy programme on “I did not even know what literacy roots; thus the land for the school adults. The underlying assumption was”. is donated by the community, while for taking such an approach was the the cost of construction, furniture idea that once adults understand Similarly, a young Van Gujjar girl etc. is borne by RLEK with support the importance of education, they Fatima Bibi said, “I have picked up a of an external funding. This not only would automatically demand for and bit of mathematics, I can now easily works as cost sharing structure but support education of their children. calculate the amount of milk I sell it also ensures active participation and put my foot down when my of the community. The location of In order to adapt to the special customers refuse to pay an appro- the school is decided according to lifestyle of the nomads and their priate amount”. Another Van Gujjar the specifications of the community, social and economic background, adult Abdul Rehman observed, “Now which eliminates the problem of RLEK employed a series of innovative we not only keep our settlements access. measures. First of all, literacy was clean but have also become aware of integrated with other issues of something called personal hygiene”. In an endeavor to bring about holistic concern to the community such as development through education, veteran health and livelihood security, Thanks to the exposure to func- RLEK has facilitated all its schools thus providing an opportunity for tional literacy, the once docile Van with well-equipped libraries, not only economic and social empowerment. Gujjars have now started asserting the children of the school but also the themselves. Many neo literate Van neo-literates of the community. Moreover, as it was decided to Gujjar men and women are now maintain the learners’ interest and to discussing the virtues of a small avoid long breaks, volunteer teachers family and various methods of fertility PROGRAMME travelled with the community during control. Following the enumeration IMPLEMENTATION: the transmigratory cycle. The pro- of the community members into the APPROACHES AND gramme was unique in the sense that Voters’ List, many Van Gujjar men METHODOLOGIES volunteers adapted themselves to and women have successfully fought the lifestyle of the Gujjars and there the Panchayat elections. What’s With the support of the Ministry was no disruption of teaching during more many of them have become of Human Resource Development, migration. To maintain the continuity Panchayat Pradhans (Chiefs). It is trib- Government of India, RLEK started of education during summers when ute to the boldness and confidence the Adult Education Programme in Gujjars trek along with their herds that the adult literacy programme the Van Gujjar Community in October of cattle to the upper reaches of the has helped instill in them, that many 1993. The need for initiating a literacy Himalayas, these voluntary teachers Van Gujjar men and women have programme was identified in one of joined the Gujjar caravan. Similarly, addressed international audiences in the need-assessment interventions they moved down to the plains along countries such as Brazil and Denmark. that RLEK had carried out with the with the Gujjar with the onset of Van Gujjar community. In one of the autumn. This activity was termed as large open meetings in forests, some “Literacy on the move”. Success of Adult Education members of the community stated creates the demand for that most of the problems they face The teaching methodologies adopted Children´s Education were results of illiteracy. In taking an were a combination of a lecture and immediate step, RLEK, ran inquiries participatory system based on the The success and benefits of adult to assess the demand for literacy needs and demands of the learners. literacy nudged the Van Gujjar adults programmes. Almost the entire The local languages (Gujjari) and to request RLEK to set up schools for community responded positively. Hindi were used as the main lan- imparting formal education to their Through further negotiations, it was guages of instruction. RLEK barefoot children. Thus, the success of adult suggested that to start a literacy teachers used to hold classes education created the demand for programme RLEK provide free teach- underneath the canopy trees at the children education as they realized ers and learning materials and the time convenient to the community that if their children get a head start community contribute by providing members. Evening classes were in life through education, it would board and lodging. Initially, about arranged for community members benefit the community in a syner- 500 Van Gujjars showed their interest who could not spare time during the gistic fashion. These adults were the in such an arrangement and thus the day. first generation to be educated and literacy programme kicked off with similarly their childrenare also the first these families. After considering the The community participation has generation receive formal education. result of the programme, the families been a very distinctive feature of Thus RLEK set up four well-equipped who were reluctant or skeptical in the Teaching the Nomads in the Wild Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development 61 programme. It has been ongoing learning methodology (i.e., in terms the ability to read and write and the and ever-present during the entire of teaching skills for the volunteers). following three levels were intro- process of programme planning and duced to assess the literacy skills of implementation. The volunteer teachers were not the participants: remunerated but contingency ex- penses were provided. The boarding ■■ Level 1 – the person can write his/ Learning Material and lodging was also taken care of her name and read and write num- by the community and volunteers bers between 1 and 50 at the pace of The learning materials were prepared would share the same food as the thirty words per minute. with the help of the community community. ■■ Level 2 – the person can read and and all efforts were made to make write simple and short sentences and sure the content is relevant to the is able to write in symmetry and use social reality of the nomadic life. Monitoring and Evaluation proper distance between the words. The localized content was used to The person can read and write num- facilitate the community for easy In order to secure transparency and bers between 1 and 100 along with and better learning. The prospective also as a means of self-evaluation, doing simple mathematical functions learners were also involved in the every year, Shaksharta Mela (Literacy such as adding and subtracting entire process. Fairs) are organized in which the ■■ Level 3 – the person can read members of community would show advertisements on billboards, instruc- Three primers, named “Naya Safar” their newly acquired learning skills tions on the roads and forest boards, (New Journey) based on the tech- before the public, press and interest- headlines of newspapers, and fill-in nique of Improved Pace and Content ed citizens to come and see for them- the everyday forms. In addition to the of Learning (IPCL), were prepared selves how far the community has subtraction and adding, the person with the community’s assistance learnt to read and write. In addition, can understand and use multipli- and in Hindi and Gujurati - local internal and external evaluations are cation and division plus concepts languages of the community and also conducted to assess the results. such as time, weight, measurement, took into account specific vocabulary The evaluation reports were submit- currency calculation, distance, area, of the nomads and their day-to-day ted to the funding agency annually. interest rate, etc. experience. Stories and parables from By the end of the third year of the the everyday life of the Van Gujjars programme, an external evaluation At level II & III reading pace should as well as lessons on cooperative was conducted by the Ministry of be increased in comparison to level systems, social harmony, significance Human Resource Development. I. In level II & III difference of reading of environmental conservation, per- pace depends upon words, length of sonal hygiene, family planning, child sentences, vowels, and phrase. health care, immunization, education, CHALLENGES AND IMPACT cattle breeding, milk production and In level II & III, a person can read & marketing were also incorporated. write numbers and do addition and Challenges subtraction with simple mathematics like multiplication, division, etc. The Recruitment and Training The main challenge of working with concept is very clear: they learn from of Volunteer Teachers Van Gujjars has been the marginal- simplistic to more complex skills ized and isolated nature of the com- and gradually increase their speed The initial group of teachers consisted munity. Since the community resides in reading, writing and numeracy. If of 350 volunteers who travelled with in forests which are isolated from the we divide all sound symbols into five the community from the foothills of outside world, not only has it been categories; very high, high, moderate, Himalayas to the higher alpines. Each very difficult to reach the community low and nil, the sound symbols volunteer was put in charge of five but also to bring their voices and which fall into the very high category families who lived nearby. concerns to the policy making level used level I and those which fall in and develop the programmes based category high and moderate will The volunteer teachers were selected on their real needs and demands. come in level 2 and rest in level 3. from high school graduates who were out of employment and looking In addition, the nomadic lifestyle The successful launch of the pro- for jobs. Almost none of them had and the seasonal migration of the gramme made it move to a second teaching experience before and at community brought its own challeng- phase where the education pro- the beginning this made some of the es to the programme. The volunteers gramme continued by assisting the families skeptical. As volunteers had had to be very committed as working new literates to use their literacy skills to trek with the community, they implied surviving harsh conditions. to acquire information on various were also checked to be physically issues like health, sanitation, environ- fit and capable of handling difficult ment protection and management, conditions. The volunteers were Impact rights of people, children’s immuniza- given a month long training in the tion, veterinary care etc. culture and practice of Van Gujjar A total of 21,000 Gujjars became community as well as special training literate during the course of the Overall, the literacy initiatives with on how to survive in the wild and programme. Literacy was defined as this community led to their enhanced 62 Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development
negotiation skills and empowerment. process (e.g. expressing the demand ■■ Sharma. A. ( 2011). South Asian As a result, the community was able for the programme, contributing to nomads- a literature review. Creating to fight for their rights. Since then, the costs, preparing the material, Pathways to Access. Research Mono- harassment in the hands of the etc.). This close collaboration with the graph, 58. University of Sussex forest department has decreased as community has lent transparency to ■■ Mittal. S. , Tripathi. G., Sethi. D. the community can now read the the activities being carried out and (2008). Development Strategy for the government’s orders by themselves the community realized that they are Hill Districts of Uttarakhand. Indian and the forest officials cannot falsify the main stakeholders in the project. Council for Research on International and manipulate the information. The Economic Relations. community has been able to take two The learning material prepared should hectares of land from the govern- be relevant and mirror the life of the ment which is allotted for those who target group. It is much more effec- CONTACT want to settle down. In the same line, tive if the materials are in the local The Van Gujjars were able to fight for language and have localized content Mr. Avdhash Kaushal their voting rights and have succeed- so that the target group can engage Chairperson ed in securing them. Thanks to their with them easily and associate them 68/1 Surya lok Colony, Rajpur Road, acquired numeracy skills, they can to their immediate environment. Dehradun – 248001, Uttarakhand, now calculate the rate of interest and INDIA the right price for their milk products. The programme did not restrict itself Tel: ++91-135-2746071, 2745539 In addition, no more middlemen for to literacy, but it connected literacy Fax: ++91-135-2746881, 2741931 the business trade is needed which in to livelihood, health, environment [email protected], [email protected] return maximizes their gain from the and other cross-cutting themes that http://www.rlek.org products. nomads were dealing with in their everyday life. Education was seen Literacy has also had visible impacts as a tool to provide solutions to the on the health aspect of the commu- problems being faced by the commu- nity. Some of the best learners have nity and thus, a lot of emphasis was turned into being paramedics and laid on skill enhancement through paravets. Now the community can connecting literacy to other areas of read the instructions on medicine life. This holistic view of learning has labels and check their expiry dates; been considered as one of the key thus, unlike earlier, they are not being success factors of the programme. cheated into buying expired products.
As had been foreseen, the successful SUSTAINABILITY implementation of the adult literacy program created the demand from Since the start of the programme, the community itself for children the beneficiaries were treated as education programmes. RLEK has equal partakers in the functioning established two mobile schools, four and implementation of the project. primary formal schools for Van Gujjar The community was sustaining children and fourteen formal schools the project and did so for 5 years. for the marginalized communities When the adult literacy phase of the residing in rugged and remote areas programme was carried out, the com- in the hills of Uttarakhand. Also RLEK munity bore the cost of boarding and established 154 non-formal education lodging the volunteers. Thereafter centers after 3 years which for 2 years the model became self-sustainable have been running literacy initiatives through the continuous support of in the areas where the Van Gujjar the community. Unfortunately RLEK community has been resettled. could not raise funds for the teacher’s contingencies and other material. The programme suffered after 5 years LESSONS LEARNED but the same teachers who taught the parents are now teaching their The following are some of the lessons children in the school. which have emerged during the course of the programme SOURCES Community participation is essential in order to ensure the sustainability of ■■ Rural Litigation and Entitlement any endeavor. In the case of Teaching Kendra Website the Nomads in the Wild, the com- ■■ Literacy and Adult Education, munity has been actively involved World Education Forum, Dakar, Sen- in planning and the implementation egal 2000 63
INDONESIA
Literacy for the 21st Century: Promoting Innovative Literacy Education in Coping with Natural Disasters
Implementing organization annual budget be allocated towards capacities at community and family Centre for the Development of education. Despite this progress, level, but also increases access to Early Childhood, Non-formal challenges in education remain, not education for indigent adults. (World and Informal Education least with regards to equity. The Bank 2012) poorest members of the population Language of instruction have less access to early-childhood, Bahasa Indonesia, Javanese senior-secondary, tertiary and adult PROGRAMME OVERVIEW (and other local languages) education than other segments of society. For example, only 4 per cent The Centre for the Development of Date of inception of higher education students aged Early Childhood, Non-formal and 2008 between 19 and 22 come from the Informal Education implements poorest 40 per cent of the popula- the Literacy for the 21st Century: Programme partners tion. (World Bank 2012) Promoting Innovative Literacy Directorate General of Early Education in Coping with Natural Childhood, Non-formal and Informal Since the Asian financial crisis in Disasters (hereafter referred to as the Education, Ministry of Education 1998, Indonesia has achieved ‘natural disaster literacy programme‘) and Culture, provincial and district economic growth and substantially in cooperation with the Directorate of education and health administrators, reduced the number of people Community Education Development. National Board of Disaster living below the national poverty Both institutions are part of the Management, Indonesian Red Cross line of $1.25 per day. However, the Ministry of Education and Culture of number of people living below this the Republic of Indonesia. The role of Funding line remains large – at around 30 the centre is to implement community Government, Directorate of million – while a further 65 million education programmes to further Community Education Development, live just above it, at heightened literacy education, promote women’s Ministry of Social Affairs, provincial risk to falling back into poverty. empowerment and poverty allevia- government (Central Java, One of the reasons for the poor’s tion, andincrease coverage of early Jogjakarta and Lampung), National vulnerability is Indonesia’s exposure childhood education. The natural Courses Association, National to natural disasters. Over the past disaster literacy programme is one Community Learning Centres (CLCs) 30 years, Indonesia has experienced of a series of literacy programmes Forum, Indonesian Red Cross, an average of 289 natural disasters promoting the empowerment and Indonesian SAR, UNESCO, small a year, with an annual death toll of literacy attainment of disenfranchised contributions by participants around 8,000 people. In response, populations, known as AkrAB!. Other the Indonesian Government has AkrAB! literacy programmes address made disaster risk management subjects such as basic literacy, COUNTRY CONTEXT one of its priorities by introducing entrepreneurship skills and literacy, a comprehensive risk management family literacy, folklore-based literacy Indonesia is on course to meet approach, including prevention, and establishing a writing culture. the educational targets set by the preparation, emergency response and Millennium Development Goals. The recovery plans. However, the country Delivered since 2008, the natural country has made great progress has struggled to implement regula- disaster literacy programme aims in improving access and equity in tions and to establish capacities to to mitigate the harmful effects of education. This is especially true of cope with natural disasters. Literacy natural disaster on communities primary education, which is largeley for the 21st Century: Promoting by equipping participants with the responsible for Indonesia’s high Innovative Literacy Education in knowledge and skills they need to overall literacy rates. Much of this Coping with Natural Disasters fits cope. The programme also raises progress is the result of increased well with Indonesia’s ongoing efforts awareness of the risks associated with spending on education, following to enhance resilience against natural natural disasters and helps commu- the Indonesian government’s disasters and to improve education nities in recover from disaster. In the constitutional amendment requiring supporting this goal. The programme five years between 2008 and 2013, that at least 20 per cent of the not only builds risk management the programme has reached around 64 Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development
44,000 learners in Central Java, people who have experienced natural To make the programme accessible to Jogjakarta and Lampung provinces, disasters. The learning approach participants, facilitators employ locals all of which are prone to natural is based on their experiences, an to work as tutors to support learners. disasters. Most of the programme’s approach which incorporates the Learning materials include books, beneficiaries were poor adults and following: posters, magazines, newspapers leaf- out-of-school young people with low lets, DVDs and CDs. Facilitators use literacy levels. ■■ A participatory approach integrat- computers, radio and TV as teaching ing life skills into literacy education; media to transmit information about ■■ Teaching in mother tongue; natural disasters. For example, an Aims and Objectives ■■ ’Joyful learning’ through games, assignment could require groups of songs and dance; learners to search the internet for The geographic location of Indonesia ■■ An emphasis on empowering information on natural disasters. The puts the country at risk of natural learners. teaching materials are developed disasters such as volcanic eruptions, ■■ The natural disaster literacy pro- by the Centre for the Development earthquakes, tsunamis, floods and gramme’s approach comprises the of Early Childhood, Non-formal and landslides. Indonesia’s vulnerability following: Informal Education in cooperation to such disasters prompted the ■■ CLCs and learning materials with the National CLCs Forum and Centre for the Development of Early support training and learning pro- the National Courses Association, as Childhood, Non-formal and Informal grammes in disaster risk reduction; well as education administrators and Education to develop the natural ■■ CLCs advance disaster prepared- local advisors. disaster literacy programme as a ness; model of community education. By ■■ Local volunteers increase local increasing literacy proficiency levels capacities to mitigate and cope with Structure and Process within communities affected by disasters; natural disasters, the programme ■■ Emphasis on equal access to Lessons take place three times a week aims to mitigate the effects and training and education, especially in a CLC of a community learning to increase awareness of natural for women and out-of-school young hub. Courses are also offered in the disasters. Specifically, the programme people. homes of villagers. The programme’s aims to: courses last 10 months, with, on aver- age, between 10 and 15 participants. ■■ Guide victims in handling and Teaching Content Besides literacy training, courses also coping with natural disasters; teach learners vocational skills such ■■ Provide literacy education for The programme teaches basic literacy as cooking, sewing, farming, cattle victims of natural disasters; and entrepreneurship skills, with a breeding and fertilization techniques. ■■ Raise awareness for risks associat- focus on issues relevant to natural ed with natural disasters; disasters. Participants learn about the ■■ Expand access to literacy edu- causes and characteristics of natural Accreditation, Monitoring cation by establishing community disasters, while facilitators teach and Evaluation learning centres (CLCs) and communi- them about methods and strategies ty reading centres (CRCs); to cope, how to mitigate the effects, As part of the monitoring and ■■ Introduce training for quick and how to recover from traumatic evaluation process, CLCs are required disaster response (knowing the first events. In addition, participants learn to become accredited by an inde- steps to take when a natural disaster about safety measures concerning pendent accreditation board, made occurs) in communities; natural disasters. All literacy content up of government officials coordi- ■■ Provide recovery and rehabilitation follows the general guidelines set out nated by the Community Education services to families and communities in the national standards for basic Directorate. The accreditation process after natural disasters occur. literacy and entrepreneurship skills for the natural disaster literacy training. programme is based on evaluation The main target groups of the pro- against eight national education gramme are adults and out-of-school Programme content for each locality standards: content, process (teaching young people. The programme also reflects the situation following a and learning), graduate competency, provides services to indigenous and natural disaster. The learning activi- personnel, facility, governance, minority groups. ties, syllabus and learning materials finance, and evaluation standards. vary from locality to locality. For At the outset of the accreditation example, in Central Java, participants process, CLCs fill out a form, which is PROGRAMME learn more about characteristics of reviewed by the accreditation board. IMPLEMENTATION volcanoes because this area is prone Board members also visit CLCs as to volcanic eruptions. Teaching part of the accreditation process and content in Jogjakarta Province, on the interview local programme facilita- Teachingand Learning: other hand, focuses on earthquakes, tors. The board holds in a plenary Approaches and which are more likely to occur in meeting to decide which CLCs are to Methodologies this area. The programme in villages be accredited. in Lampung province emphasises The teaching approach and lesson landslides due to the location’s The programme administrators track content are based on the needs of vulnerability to such natural disasters. outcomes through anecdotal evi- Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development 65
dence with the aim of improving the as it takes time for learners to warm ■■ Difficulty in raising awareness of curriculum over time. The Centre for to new content. the programme in villages, including the Development of Early Childhood, in recruiting volunteers and tutors for Non-formal and Informal Education Support from local leaders is the programme in rural areas; interviews particpants, teachers and necessary to effectively implement a ■■ Challenging to use ICTs with limit- members of local communities to as- programme, because it maintains the ed funding; certain the effect of the programme motivation of learners and prevents ■■ Learners tend to leave the basic on learners. Learners do not have to conflicts among facilitators. literacy component of programme complete an exam at the end of the once they are able to read and write programme. It is necessary to maintain learners’ as they prefer to learn other skills motivation during periods when they such as planting, cooking and making are not affected by natural disasters natural fertilizers; Facilitators so that they can continue to learn ■■ Local leaders’ strong commitment and be prepared. That is why new towards their communities can lead The programme employs volunteer programmes should be delivered. to conflict that can negatively affect and paid facilitators. Each facilitators The micro finance unit programme, the implementation of programmes. teaches between 10 and 15 learners. for example, established a mini bank, Paid volunteers receive a salary of which participants joined in order to USD 1 per hour. The Centre for the save money and lend it at very small SUSTAINABILITY Development of Early Childhood, rates of interest. At the end of the Non-formal and Informal Education year, the organization distributes the The community learning centres provides training for facilitators. benefits of the micro finance unit to are central to the sustainability of The most competent facilitators are each member, based on the sum of the programme since they provide invited by the centre to become the saving and loans. learners with long-term access to trainers for future facilitators. training and learning materials. In People who have lived through a terms of financial sustainability, the natural disaster need to be treated programme is supported by local IMPACT AND with respect and be given time to government. Further financial support ACHIEVEMENTS cope before new elements of the comes from local businesses, which programme are introduced. They donate money to the programme. The natural disaster literacy tend to have reservations about The programme’s approach and programme served 43,449 people new programmes as their immediate focus on natural disaster recovery between 2008 and 2013. In addition, concern is often their own physical also supports the sustainability of the its two partner programmes, in circumstance. programme as the model applies to basic literacy and entrepreneurship many other areas in Indonesia with skills training, reached 371,000 and Indications that a programme is similar natural disaster problems. 102,000 people respectively over running well include: the same period. The basic literacy and entreprenuership skills training ■■ Learners are more actively partic- SOURCES programmes are similar to the natural ipating; disaster literacy programme in their ■■ Learners show enthusiasm in learn- ■■ UNDP (United Nations Develop- aim to improve the literacy skills of ing new things; ment Programme). We Can End Pov- learners. However, these programmes ■■ Stakeholders are supportive of the erty. Millennium Development Goals do not focus on natural disaster mit- programme. and Beyond 2015 igation techniques in their teaching ■■ World Bank. 2012. Country content. Participants benefit from the Partnership Strategy for Indonesia, literacy training, while, through the CHALLENGES FY2013–2015, pp. 3–4 & 26–28 entrepreneurship programme, they gain life skills, which increases their The facilitators face a number of CONTACT chances of earning a decent income challenges in implementing the in the future. The programme helps programme: Dr Ade Kusmiadi communities to be better prepared Centre for the Development of Early for natural disasters and it assists ■■ Not all programme personnel have Childhood, Non-formal and Informal families in the process of recovery the full range of required competen- Education Regional 2, Directorate following a natural disaster. cies; General of Early Childhood, Non- ■■ Limited infrastructure and facilities formal and Informal Education, to support the natural literacy disaster Ministry of Education and Culture, LESSONS LEARNED programme, which requires commu- Republic of Indonesia nities to help by providing facilities; Diponegoro Street, No. 250 Ungaran, To make the natural disaster literacy ■■ Limited funding for literacy Semarang programme successful, facilitators programmes in general and for the Central Java, Indonesia need to make sure that learners are natural disaster literacy programme in 50511 fully acquainted with the programme particular; Email: [email protected] 66
INDONESIA
The Vocational Village Programme
Implementing Organization where the Vocational Village project initiatives that were put into place Directorate General of Early is based, is the third most crowded and the country’s strong recognition Childhood, Centre for Non-Formal province after West and East Java. of the importance of raising literacy and Informal Education Region 2 and In 2007, about 1,766,422 of its levels. More recently, the Indonesian the Vocational Village Committee inhabitants between the ages of 15 Ministry of Education has focused and 64 were looking for employment. on accelerating literacy initiatives Language of Instruction The province is also one of nine and, as a result, two important Bahasa Indonesia Indonesian provinces to have a total events occurred in 2006: Indonesia of more than 200,000 people with joined the UNESCO Literacy Initiative Funding low levels of literacy. According to for Empowerment (LIFE) and the Directorate General of Early the Ministry of Education and Culture Presidential Instruction No.5 was Childhood, the Centre for Non- (2012), Central Java has the second signed, making the literacy initiative Formal and Informal Education highest number of non-literate adults a national movement and strength- Region 2, Directorate of out of all 33 provinces. As there ening partnerships between different Curriculum and Training, the is a widely recognised correlation ministries. District Office of Education between illiteracy and poverty, it is necessary to raise levels of literacy in The LIFE initiative is “a key operational Date of Inception Central Java, as well as the country as mechanism for accelerating progress 2009 – 2011 (independently a whole. towards achieving the goals and after 2011) purposes of the United Nations Despite the low levels of literacy Literacy Decade (UNLD), by targeting on the island of Java, however, countries with the greatest literacy CONTEXT AND the Indonesian government has a needs.” Indonesia is one of nine BACKGROUND long history of promoting literacy, countries in the Asia Pacific region initiating its first literacy campaign that is part of LIFE and, along with The Vocational Village Programme in 1945. The Indonesian Ministry of China, it has reached the highest was piloted in Gemawang Village Education considers literacy to be adult literacy rate among these nine in the Jambu District of Semarang “a human right, a tool of personal countries between 2000 and 2008 Regency, Central Java Province and, empowerment and a means for (92%). It is also on track to meeting as a result of its success, has since social and human development. It the Education for All (EFA) goal of been implemented in 35 other is a pre-requisite for other types of improving literacy by 50% by 2015. districts across the province. The ra- learning and is crucial for every child, tionale behind the Vocational Village youth and adult. It is essential for was to build upon successful literacy eradicating poverty, reducing child Development Agency of programmes that have already been mortality, curbing population growth, Non-Formal and Informal implemented in Indonesia with the achieving gender equality and ensur- Education (P2PNFI) addition of life skills education. As ing sustainable development, peace most participants come from poor or and democracy.” The Constitution of Region 2 of the Development disadvantaged backgrounds, life skills 1945 includes an initiative to improve Agency of Non-Formal and Informal education is necessary for income the well-being of Indonesians by Education (P2PNFI) falls under generation and livelihood develop- attaining education for all. Since the Indonesian National Ministry ment. Literacy skills also need to be establishing the Constitution, the of Education. Its main duty is to incorporated into the daily activities Indonesian government has placed develop learning models that can of participants. great value on the development of be used by both governmental and literacy and income-generating skills, non-governmental Non-Formal Indonesia is home to a population and many adult literacy initiatives in Education (NFE) institutions. These of 237 million people that inhabit Indonesia are designed primarily to models are developed on the themes around 6,000 of the country’s 17,000 improve entrepreneurial skills in order of Early Childhood Education and islands. It is a diverse population, to generate income. community development, providing with as many as 300 ethnic groups levels of education equivalent to speaking about 680 different native From 2006 to 2009, the number of elementary school, junior high school languages. The national language non-literates in Indonesia decreased and secondary school. Courses is Bahasa Indonesia, also known as from 12,88 million to 8,7 million. This usually cover a period of four to Indonesian. Central Java Province, decrease was a result of the literacy twelve months and are divided into Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development 67 two forms of vocational training: 1) own their own land, 52% have an develop these facilities in villages, as Courses for those looking to gain unidentified occupation (e.g. women well. The village aspects that were employment (e.g. sewing, computer working in the home, unofficial to be developed were human and use, and mechanics) and 2) courses employment that is only partially natural resources, the environment, for those looking to start their own paid) and 6% have other occupations, culture and society, and politics. It business (e.g. catfish, cattle, goat or such as police officers, businesspeo- furthermore refers to the spread of vegetable farming). ple, teachers or civil servants. Roughly knowledge, skills, technology and 10% of the population in Gemawang information from cities to villages Since 2009, the Directorate for have never attended school. such as Gemawang. Community Education has been developing programmes focused on The original project lasted a total At the time, the unemployment rate improving skills such as basic literacy of three years. In the first year, for those less than 18 years of age on (reading and writing), income-gen- 250 people joined the programme the island of Java was 9, 7%. erating skills, family literacy, disaster and, after the third year (2011) the prevention skills and preparedness, programme was able to sustain itself. Although the farming sector had and local arts and culture (i.e. the The village was consequently turned not been harmed by the Indonesian importance of preserving cultural into a prototype that could be used economic crisis of 1997, and had heritage). In 2009, the P2PNFI for further research, apprenticeships, actually even created jobs, many developed a model for a Vocational support, education and training for rural areas were still lacking efficient Village, which would build upon any institution with an interest in the use of available resources. Many existing programmes by adding a village. Eventually, the model was villages remained poor, which led focus on entrepreneurial skills. It replicated in 35 other districts across to much immigration from rural would equip learners with practical the province. villages to cities. The Vocational skills to be used for running a busi- Village Programme was piloted in ness and generating income, thereby Gemawang as a method of generat- becoming empowered members of Reasons for the development ing income in rural communities. the community. The programme was of a Vocational Village in 2009 developed with input from partici- pants to ensure it was based on their The Vocational Village was part of a Objectives specific learning needs. long-term government plan aimed at increasing adult access to life skills The aims of the Vocational Village education. Programme are: THE VOCATIONAL VILLAGE The project, scheduled to be imple- ■■ To foster skills and self-reliance The Vocational Village is a community mented from 2005 until 2009, had ■■ To manage national resources centre in a rural area where villagers five main initiatives. One of these was without damaging the environment can receive vocational and entre- the broadening of life skills education ■■ To create business groups based preneurial skills training. Learners to involve non-formal education. on local potential and skills can put their newly acquired skills The programme originally fell under ■■ To provide information, marketing to practical use by either seeking the auspices of the Department of networks and to help in the acquisi- employment from someone else or by National Education (Depdiknas) and tion of a production license creating a ‘business group’, which is a is currently supervised by the Ministry ■■ To become an independent organi- group of five to ten participants that of Education and Culture. sational mechanism agree to start a business together. Another area targeted by the Entrepreneurial skills are defined by Department of National Education Recruitment of Facilitators the Ministry of Education and Culture was the management, accountability as “the ability of basic entrepreneur- and public image of training institu- Three parties work together to ship skills trained through productive tions, for which a comparative model ensure the smooth operation of learning and income generating skills of life skills education would be the Vocational Village Programme: which could raise literacy levels and developed. the Vocational Village Committee, income of learners, either individually the Programme Assistant and the or collectively as one of the efforts The Central Java province Governor facilitators. The committee is chosen of literacy enhancement as well as Bibit Waluyo’s policy regarding a by members of the community and poverty alleviation.” vocational province needed to be the Programme Assistant must be synergised with both the government a professional with experience in The Vocational Village pilot project and citizens. The governor’s slogan, the field of vocational skills training. was launched in Gemawang, Jambu “Come back to the village, build Programme facilitators are volunteers, District, Semarang Regency, Central the village” (Bali Ndeso Mbangun business practitioners, institutions Java Province, which has a population Deso) referred to the need to shift related to the specific vocational skills of 3444 (1673 women and 1771 the focus of development from cities taught in the particular Vocational men). Of this population, around to villages. Infrastructure is most Village (e.g. farming, health, small 20% are farmers who own their own often developed in cities, but there business industry or tourism), or land, 22% are farmers who do not is an on-going need in Indonesia to university lecturers, or teachers from 68 Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development vocational schools or other academic and who joined the Vocational Vil- businesses were established by institutions. lage as part of their Corporate Social participants in the programme. Responsibility initiative). For the original Vocational Village in ■■ The village of Gemawang became Gemawang, some facilitators were a vocational training model, not only SUSTAINABILITY trained by the P2PNFI developers for the Central Java Province, but also of the programme. However, most for the rest of Indonesia. Other vil- The Vocational Village received facilitators did not require training lages visited Gemawang to learn how financial support from P2PNFI for since they were recruited as experts to manage their resources in order the first two years of the programme in their fields of interest. to empower their own community (2009 – 2010) and, since 2011, the members. programme has been sustaining ■■ Gemawang became a research itself. Each district in Central Java Recruitment of Learners location for universities such as has five Vocational Villages. Several the State University of Semarang factors led to the sustainability of the Learners are from the local area (UNNES), the Satya Wacana Chris- programme: where the Vocational Village is tian University (UKSW), Brawijaya established. They are recruited by the University (UNIBRAW), and the State ■■ Financial support from the P2PNFI Vocational Village Committee based University of Surabaya (UNESA). in the beginning allowed for the orig- on what they intend to do with the ■■ As a result of the success of the inal Vocational Village Programme to skills they would learn and which Vocational Village in Gemawang, the be designed and implemented. resources they have available. programme was implemented in 35 ■■ The development of every Voca- other villages. Most of these villages tional Village is dependent on strong are in Central Java, but Vocational involvement of community members Teaching and Learning Villages have also been established in from the beginning, when needs Methods the provinces of Nusa Tenggara Barat, are assessed, until the evaluation West Java and North Sumatra. at the end of the programme. It is There were 14 different courses avail- important to ensure that community able at the Gemawang Vocational members have a sense of belonging Village: batik painting (traditional LESSONS LEARNED and a psychological investment in the cloth painting), sewing, fish farming, programme. medicinal tree farming, website crea- ■■ The programme should be tailored ■■ High levels of commitment from tion, coffee production (from planting to the specific needs of the learn- learners are also crucial. This can be beans to serving coffee), farm ers, the resources available in their attained by continuous appraisal of counselling, rabbit farming, indigo (a surrounding environment and the ex- their work and appreciation of their natural dye for batik) farming, fruit isting business hubs in their particular attendance. farming, entrepreneurship, business village. ■■ Monitoring and evaluation of the management, charcoal production ■■ It is also important to involve programme needs to be comprehen- and fertilizer production. Each course community leaders in the implemen- sively and sustainably planned. had a training design, a curriculum, tation of the programme in order to a syllabus and learning materials, motivate other community members and consisted of 30 % theory and to participate. SOURCES 70 % practical work. The curricula ■■ Both governmental and non-gov- are developed by the committee in ernmental organisations should work ■■ Action Plan. 2012. Literacy: Em- cooperation with experts in each area together to support the entire com- powerment, Development and Peace. of skills training. munity where the Vocational Village Ministry of Education and Culture. is based, instead of emphasising the ■■ UNESCO. 2010. Country Paper: importance of their own institutions. Status and Major Challenges of Litera- IMPACT ■■ Cooperation between the institu- cy in Indonesia. Ministry of Education tions involved is crucial. of Indonesia. To date, 35 villages have established ■■ Chu, S. &Bajracharya, R. 2011. Re- Vocational Village Programmes and a gional Mid-term Evaluation of Literacy total of 255 people have participated. MONITORING AND Initiative for Empowerment (LIFE): As a result: EVALUATION Summary Report. UNESCO.
■■ 14 small business groups were The Vocational Village Programme CONTACT created was monitored and evaluated by ■■ 3 microfinance institutions were village developers from P2PNFI on a Heru Priambodo created monthly basis from 2009 until 2011. Centre of Early Childhood, Non- ■■ 19 institutions, both from gov- Aspects such as curricula, programme Formal and Informal Education ernmental and non-governmental, facilities, learning kits, and learner Region 2 (PP PAUDNI) Regional II willingly joined the Vocational Village and facilitator attendance were Jalan Diponegoro 250 Ungaran Programme (e.g. the Titian Founda- monitored. P2PNFI also monitored Semarang tion and Yayasan Losari, a business and evaluated the process of how Email: [email protected] or that owns a hotel near Gemawang [email protected] 69
NEPAL
Community Learning Centres
Implementing Organization impeded by a paucity of educational an adult literacy or education and Ministry of Education and resources, poor infrastructure and a development programme which was Sports (through the Non-Formal shortage of qualified teachers. It was initiated by UNESCO and UNICEF Education Centre, NFEC) in response to these challenges that during the 1980s. Under the SERD the Ministry of Education and Sports project, about 154 village reading Programme Partners (through the Non-Formal Education centres were established across the National Resource Centre for Non- Centre, NFEC) with support from country to provide community-based formal Education (NRC-NFE); UNESCO; UNESCO, instituted the Community post-literacy and continuing National Federation of UNESCO Learning Centres (CLCs) Programme education training programmes. Associations of Japan (NFUAJ) and in the 1990s in an effort to make ed- The village reading centre concept Rotary Matching Grant Fund ucation more accessible to all, as well was later refined, revitalised and as to promote development, social further broadened from a ‘reading’ Date of Inception empowerment and transformation. centre to a ‘community learning’ early 1990s centre following the introduction and implementation of the Basic THE COMMUNITY and Primary Education Project (BPEP CONTEXT AND LEARNING CENTRES I, 1992–1998) by the Government BACKGROUND (CLCS) PROGRAMME of Nepal. The idea gained further momentum and ground in the Nepal is one of the least developed late 1990s when the Government countries in the world, with an Definition of a CLC introduced the second phase of the economy that is largely based on agri- Basic and Primary Education Project cultural production. As a result, about According to UNESCO, a CLC is as (BPEP II, 1999–2004) and established a third of its population, mostly from a community-based non-formal the National Committee on CLC. rural and semi-urban communities, educational institution or organi- Following extensive consultations, live in absolute poverty with limited sation which provides a range of the National Committee on CLC, access to basic amenities, livelihood services and learning opportunities an inter-agency board comprising and educational opportunities. to out-of-school children, youth and of the National Resource Centre for illiterate or semi-literate adults from Non-Formal Education (NRC-NFE) and According to UNESCO, the total socially disadvantaged rural and UNESCO Kathmandu Office, estab- adult female and male literacy rates urban communities. The CLCs operate lished the NFEC to spearhead the CLC were 35% and 63%, respectively, outside the formal education system programme in Nepal. between 1995 and 2005. As such, and intend primarily to address the about half (51%) of Nepal’s adult learners’ basic literacy and educa- The NFEC has since established population still remains illiterate today tional needs and therefore support more than 800 CLCs across the despite impressive efforts to promote the holistic development of citizens country with financial and technical universal access to education in and communities. As non-formal support from UNESCO, through the recent years. The high rate of illiteracy educational institutions, CLCs are Asia-Pacific Programme of Education in the country, particularly among usually established and managed for All (APPEAL) programme, the socially disadvantaged groups such as by local communities with financial National Federation of UNESCO women, ethnic minorities (Janajatis) and technical support from various Associations of Japan (NFUAJ) and low caste groups (Dalits) is governmental and non-governmental and Rotary Matching Grant Fund. largely ascribed to a combination agencies. Furthermore, their activities Furthermore, the Nepali Government of socioeconomic factors including are also tailored according to the has also pledged to establish 205 poverty, socio-cultural practices local context in order to address the CLCs as part of its tenth five-year which discriminate against women, local community’s problems as well plan (2002–2007), the aim being to minorities and low caste groups and as to satisfy its basic needs. establish a CLC in every village devel- the general lack of development in opment committee and municipality remote rural areas which prevents in Nepal. rural communities from accessing The CLC Programme in Nepal quality education. As in other countries, nearly all CLCs Within Nepal, the concept of CLCs in Nepal were established and are Access to good quality formal educa- has its origins in the Seti Education being managed by the local people. tion for the poor majority is further for Rural Development (SERD) project, Similarly, the CLC programme in 70 Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development
Nepal also targets out-of-school of community-based income genera- ■■ conduct and manage non-formal children, youth and adults from tion activities literacy and life skills training classes marginalised rural and urban ■■ promote individual and collective ■■ assess or evaluate learning out- communities. The implementation of (community) development through comes. the CLC programme is guided by the lifelong education and learning in or- basic principle that the main purpose der to facilitate social empowerment To date, more than 400 facilitators, of education is, not only to enable and transformation supervisors and organisers have people to read and write, but also to ■■ create opportunities and forums undertaken the ToT programme. provide them with knowledge, skills for communities to discuss local prob- and attitudes to enable self-reliance lems and development needs. and to improve their living standards. Programme monitoring Thus, the CLC programme in Nepal and evaluation provides participants with skills PROGRAMME training in: IMPLEMENTATION: The monitoring and evaluation of APPROACHES AND the CLCs and its programmes are the ■■ literacy (basic and functional litera- METHODS joint responsibility of the NRC-NFE, cy; continuing or lifelong education) UNESCO and the CLC management ■■ early childhood education In order to ensure the effective im- committees, with the latter being ■■ communication and social interac- plementation of the CLC programme, responsible for monitoring pro- tion skills training the NFEC has helped communities gramme activities at the local level ■■ livelihood skills training and sup- to establish CLC management on an ongoing basis. The model set port to establish income generation committees consisting of elected up for monitoring, supervision and activities/projects (in, for example, community representatives. The evaluation includes a number of handicraft production, carpentry, CLC management committees are approaches: inter-CLC monitoring; bee keeping, goat keeping, poultry responsible for the overall operations group reflection; inter-CLC sharing; farming, horticulture and cash crop of the CLC as well as the implemen- and joint team evaluation. Of production) Image tation of the programme at a local these, the most extensive has been ■■ health (HIV/AIDS, maternal health, level. In addition, the committees are the evaluation of the programme infant mortality, family planning, per- also responsible for coordinating the conducted by UNESCO under the sonal hygiene, sanitation, reproduc- recruitment and training of pro- CapEFA Programme. tive health and family nutrition) gramme facilitators or instructors and ■■ civic education (leadership train- for encouraging community members ing, human rights awareness, human to participate in the programme. PROGRAMME IMPACT security, democratic governance, AND CHALLENGES conflict management and resolution, gender education including domestic Recruitment and training violence, genital mutilation and rape) of facilitators Impact ■■ environmental management/con- servation. Generally, the CLCs in Nepal attract The CLC programme has made personnel with lower educational some positive contributions towards qualifications and professional community development, employ- Aims and objectives capacity than those in the formal ment creation, poverty alleviation education system. In view of this, the and social empowerment and The CLC programme endeavours to: NRC-NFE and the CLC management transformation. The programme has committees place greater emphasis successfully mobilised local resources ■■ promote literacy development and on the training of instructors and and knowledge systems and used lifelong learning in order to combat teachers/facilitators in order to ensure them to create sustainable learning illiteracy in the country the effective implementation of the and livelihood opportunities for ■■ foster cultural preservation and programme. The Training of Trainers groups of people in Nepal who are dissemination of local/indigenous (ToT) programme is usually conducted often marginalised. This has enabled knowledge and practices by a mobile unit of experts from the children and youth to gain access to ■■ raise social awareness or promote local Ministry of Education office or education and, eventually, to enrol individual and collective/community from NGOs. During the ToT pro- (or re-enrol) in the formal education empowerment through lifelong edu- gramme, practitioners are trained to: system. cation for all people in the communi- ty and the dissemination of relevant ■■ manage CLCs and network with Similarly, the programme has made a information and skills other local organisations remarkable progress improving adult ■■ empower communities to solve ■■ identify programme participants’ literacy rates, with a huge mass of their local problems learning needs rural people, especially women who ■■ promote gender equality ■■ identify the community’s socioeco- are the backbone of the socioec- ■■ promote local socioeconomic nomic needs and problems onomic development within the development and improvements in ■■ design and develop locally-focused community, having benefitted from communities’ quality of life through curriculum and learning materials the programme over the years. The livelihood skills training and support programme has also equipped many Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development 71 adults with relevant technical skills guide and coordinate the CLC activi- and supported them to establish a va- ties at a national level riety of income generating activities. ■■ the manipulation of the CLC These activities have progressively programme by politicians for political fostered positive human development expediency, an aspect which has and empowerment, poverty allevia- distorted the principles and activities tion and improvements in community of the programme. living standards. Essentially therefore, the programme has opened avenues for deprived, disadvantaged and LESSONS LEARNED marginalised people to learn to be creative, analytical and productive It has become evident over the years and also able to make their own that the effective and successful choices and decisions. In addition, implementation of CLC programmes the programme has provided should be dependent on the for- communities with a forum to meet mation of strong working networks and discuss their local problems and between CLCs, governmental and developmental needs, a process that non-governmental organisations. has not only improved community Furthermore, there is also need members’ awareness of their civic for capacity building to strengthen rights and responsibilities (social existing CLCs in order to ensure empowerment) but has also increased their sustainability. Similarly, as a their participation in local develop- community-based organisation, a mental projects. Equally important, CLC has to actively involve ‘ordinary’ the programme has also precipitated community members in the planning a gradual change of attitudes among and decision making regarding the community members as manifested content of activities in the centre. by the programme graduates’ more proactive approach to tackling family poverty and improving their living SOURCES standards. ■■ UNESCO (2006) Community Empowerment through communi- Challenges ty learning centres in mid and far western regions of Nepal. UNESCO: Despite the above achievements, the Kathmandu. CLC programme still faces numerous challenges, such as: CONTACT
■■ the lack of resources (human, The Director (Mr Satya Bahadur material and financial) necessary for Shrestha) the effective implementation of the Ministry of Education and Sports programme. (NFEC) ■■ being dependent on volunteers Sanothimi, Bhaktapur who, because they are poorly paid, Website: http://www.nfec.gov.np/ lack the strong motivation necessary index.php for the effective execution of their Email: [email protected] duties Phone: 977-1-631288 ■■ weak links between CLCs with Fax: 977-1-631280 other developmental agencies en- gaged at the local level ■■ weak participation of community members in the planning, imple- mentation and management of CLC activities ■■ inability of CLC programmes to ad- dress communities’ long-term needs ■■ being dependent on external fund- ing because poor local communities are unable to independently sustain them ■■ a lack of a well-defined national policy and/or a central agency to 72
PHILIPPINES
Community-based Adult Learning and Development Programme (CALDP)
Implementing Organization Mass Media Survey (FLEMMS, 2003) regional languages, Filipino and People’s Initiative for Learning and revealed that about 3.8 million English in order to enable learners to Community Development (PILCD) Filipinos aged 10 years and over were effectively comprehend the concepts unable to read and write, while a being taught. Funding further 9.2 million were functionally dvv International illiterate. The FLEMMS also noted CALDP focuses primarily on four key that of the 34.2 million Filipinos areas: Annual Programme Costs aged between 6-24 years, 11.6 USD 30 000 million were not attending school, ■■ Basic and advanced literacy: of which 1.2 million were children of Development and implementation of primary school age (6-11 years old), needs-oriented, context-based and OVERVIEW 1.0 million were of secondary school innovative basic education pro- age (12-15 years old), and 9.4 million grammes for adults and out-of-school The People’s Initiative for Learning were in the tertiary age group (16-24 children in marginalised communities and Community Development (PILCD) years old). In addition, the Family and vulnerable groups. This is pro- is a national NGO that was estab- Income and Expenditure Survey (FEIS, moted through the use of in-house, lished in 2002. It is now a member 2003) indicated that about 44.5% of modular and computer-based learn- of national and regional literacy and household heads had had elementary ing approaches. education organizations such as the education at most, while a further ■■ Capacity-building: Skills are en- Civil Society for Education Reforms or 33.9% had reached secondary level hanced through training in project E-net Philippines (a national coalition and 21.6% had attended college development, vocational trades, rural of NGOs for education reforms); the with less than half earning a college development, leadership and man- Asia South Pacific Bureau for Adult degree. These data indicate that agement, governance, livelihood and Education (ASPBAE); the Regional despite a progressive increase in income generation. Literacy Coordinating Council of national literacy rates over the years, ■■ Sustainable agriculture education: the Cordillera Administrative Region some Filipinos, particularly poor Continuing education programme for (CAR) and the NGO Consultative people in urban slums and remote small farmers focusing on sustainable Assembly of the National Literacy rural areas as well as indigenous agriculture (including soil manage- Coordinating Council. populations, have limited opportuni- ment, crop systems, and pest/disease ties to gain access to quality formal management), leadership and entre- PILCD primarily endeavours to education. As a result, PILCD initiated preneurship/business training. develop and implement alternative the Community-based Adult Learning ■■ Lobbying and advocacy for the learning programmes for community and Development Programme enhanced provision of communi- development. To this end, it has been (CALDP) with the aim of addressing ty-based adult learning programmes. implementing the Community-based the learning and educational needs of Adult Learning and Development these disadvantaged people. Programme (CALDP), which is Aims and Objectives intended to institutionalise alternative learning for development at grass- PROGRAMME The programme endeavours to: roots levels in an effort to enhance the capacity of local communities The Community-based Adult Learning ■■ enhance the levels of functional to address proactively the social, and Development Programme literacy among marginalised and vul- political and economic challenges (CALDP) is currently being implement- nerable individuals and social groups/ afflicting them as well as to increase ed in three local municipalities in the communities; their standard of life. Province of Benguet and the City of ■■ use literacy skills development as Baguio. The programme enrols be- an instrument of poverty alleviation, tween 150 and 200 adult and youth sustainable community development CONTEXT AND learners per year and has an annual and environmental protection; BACKGROUND budget of about USD 30 000. Due ■■ enhance the capacity of margin- to the ethnic and linguistic diversity alised communities to engage in sus- While the literacy rate in the of the Philippines, the programme tainable livelihood activities including Philippines is high (over 90%), a employs a multilingual approach to agricultural production; Functional Literacy, Education and learning instruction and thus uses Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development 73
■■ promote community self-organiza- Recruitment and gramme. In order for the campaign tion; and Training of Trainers to be effective and yield the intended ■■ empower marginalised communi- results, PILCD engages community ties/people to participate actively in Programme facilitators are usually and local government officials socio-political civic life. regular PILCD staff with university through consultative meetings during qualifications in education, psycholo- which CALDP’s goals and objectives gy and sociology. Additional facilita- are explained. In addition, PILCD also PROGRAMME tors are hired according to need and arranges campaign activities and IMPLEMENTATION: should preferably have had a univer- orientation meetings with potential APPROACHES AND sity education. The facilitators are learners and other community METHODOLOGIES provided with professional training members. A further incentive for by PILCD on adult learning theories, prospective learners and their teaching and learning methods, communities is that the programme is Curriculum Design lesson planning and development, provided free of charge. and Development and creative facilitation using the Activity-Discussion-Input-Deepening- CALDP actively combines literacy Synthesis (ADIDS) approach which Teaching/Learning Approaches skills training with sustainable incorporates theatre skills and the and Methodologies development at both the individual visual arts. Each facilitator is trained and community levels. The design to deal with between 25 and 30 CALDP learning sessions are held on a and development of the programme learners. regular but flexible basis based on an is based on the situational reality of analysis of the participants’ learning the learners, but also incorporates Regular PILCD staff/facilitators receive needs, levels of literacy, educational aspects of broader national and glob- a monthly salary which is provided gaps and intended outcomes. These al relevance. These realities serve as for under the programme funding are identified through a series of learning references to enable learners agreement. Additional facilitators pre-enrolment Functional Literacy not only to face their problems but, hired according to need are paid Tests (FLT) and group-based activities. most importantly, to proactively an honorarium by the local partner In addition, learners contribute seek functional solutions to these government which is based on the towards establishing the learning challenges in a way that supports hours or days served. calendar by choosing the days and individual and community growth times that best suit them. In the and development. As the programme past, CALDP sessions have been held is community-based, learners are Enrolment of Learners once or twice a week, or one week furthermore consulted with regard to per month according to learners’ its design and development, and the PILCD, in partnership with community availability. results of these consultative engage- leaders, NGOs and local government ments help to frame the programme officials, undertakes literacy and To avoid facilitator-centred instruc- curriculum. development sensitisation and tion, several teaching methods advocacy campaigns to encourage are used. These range from target groups to enrol into the pro- traditional lectures with multi-media 74 Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development
presentations to group-based of free lessons, the CALDP also offers tests are also taken in order to enable activities, modular-based learning, developmental literacy training in a the evaluation of long-term learning field demonstrations, games and number of areas such as: basic and outcomes as well as to prepare creative arts that take participants’ advanced literacy; computer literacy; learners for the A&E tests. different learning styles and contexts music and art workshops; cultural into account. However, particular activities; life skills; and livelihood In addition, learners also evaluate the emphasis is placed on action-based and income generation training, programme by means of a learning learning using the ADIDS model, particularly in agricultural production. feedback diary (LFD) which is princi- whereby learners are encouraged to This is intended to cater effectively pally an essay detailing the learning engage in simulated or real project to learners’ diverse interests; for experiences, and suggesting ways of activities that contribute to the overall example, adult males are more improving the programme. development of the project. This inclined to join agricultural classes, “hands-on” approach is intended to whereas youth tends to enrol in basic However, the programme has still to empower learners and allow them education and literacy classes. be evaluated by independent external to make their own discoveries. It has examiners. been used successfully in agricultural CALDP learners receive further lessons with small farmers in Buduias, motivation to pursue their studies where PILCD has established an due to the possibility offered to them Impact and Achievements agricultural demonstration farm for of taking the A&E test administered practical lessons. each year by the Department of The CALDP has been applauded for Education’s Bureau of Alternative advancing the inter-twined goals of Furthermore, the programme Learning System (BALS). Participants literacy skills training and community provides learners with self-admin- who pass this test are awarded high development. The following lists its istered supplementary learning school graduation certificates by the key impacts and achievements: modules which they can use alone Department of Education, which or in study groups during their spare enable them to continue to higher Primarily, the programme provides time. Most modules are developed education or seek formal employment adults and youth in remote and poor by PILCD based on the Accreditation at a similar level to formal school rural communities – the majority of and Equivalency (A&E) learning graduates. whom have limited or no experience modules provided by the Department of education – with alternative of Education’s Bureau of Alternative learning opportunities to enhance Learning System (BALS), while others PROGRAMME IMPACT their literacy skills. Most of the are developed independently by AND CHALLENGES programme participants are now NGOs. able to read and write, as well as to plan and organise their livelihood Similarly, PILCD employs various Monitoring and Evaluation activities. Most importantly, since strategies to motivate learners and 2004, a total of 189 CALDP gradu- their communities to participate in Facilitators are obliged to evaluate ates learners have passed the national the programme. Apart from the ad- the programme on an ongoing basis A&E test and have now completed vocacy campaigns and the provision through end-of-session tests. Longer their high school education. Others Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development 75
have managed to secure formal vegetable produce, an outcome that Graduates’ ability to do so encour- employment. has improved their standards of life. ages other learners to join literacy programmes. The programme has had a significant impact on communities, particularly LESSONS LEARNED in terms of poverty alleviation, SUSTAINABILITY economic empowerment and the Coordination and cooperation with improvement of quality of life. For government departments and NGOs The sustainability of the programme is example, members of a women’s involved in community development being ensured through intensive lob- organization who participated in the activities facilitates the implementa- bying and advocacy campaigns within programme were subsequently able tion and success of community-based the communities that raises commu- to install a community water system literacy and development projects. nity awareness of the importance of in Bayoyo village, while a mothers’ education and encourages people organization in Taba-ao established The integration of literacy with to enrol in the programme. Similar a hog project. These livelihood and developmental skills training increases efforts are being made to encourage income generation activities have the capacity of learners to engage national and local government units raised community standards of life. in self-help and collective socio-eco- to institutionalise literacy and adult Both projects are a by-product of nomic activities, such as managing education programmes within their an ongoing learning programme on income-generating projects and initi- development plans. In addition, PILCD literacy and capacity building. The ating community actions that address is establishing partnerships with organizations’ members and officers common challenges. Hence, literacy governmental and non-governmental received training in leadership, training paves the way for greater institutions in order to secure reliable organizational and project devel- individual participation in processes sources of additional project funding. opment skills during twice-monthly of community development. Partnerships like this have enabled sessions. The development of the PILCD to expand CALDP to other two community projects involved the In order to be effective, communi- communities. participants in the entire process of ty-based literacy and development project development. programmes must be developed and implemented in such a way as CONTACT The agricultural training programme to avoid alienating learners from that was initiated in 2003 has their contexts: i.e. context-specific Ramon G. Mapa enabled some farmers to adopt and realities and needs must be taken into Executive Director utilise sustainable farming practices, account. It is therefore imperative to 247 Lower Ferguson, Central Guisad, such as the use of organic fertilisers consult and implicate the commu- 2600 Baguio City, Philippines and appropriate strategies for nity at all levels of the programme’s Phone/Fax: (63974) 3005038 managing pests and diseases. For evolution. Furthermore, literacy E-mail: [email protected]; pilcd.org@ example, two farmers from Buguias training should train learners to find gmail.com; [email protected] have converted to organic farming. functional solutions to the challenges Both are now marketing their organic they face in their everyday lives. 76
UZBEKISTAN
Community Learning Centres
Implementing Organization uous education for the population. Amidst the development of a National Commission for National education is now run knowledge and information society, UNESCO in Tashkent through two ministries, the Ministry non-formal and informal learning op- of Public Education, and the Ministry portunities are in increasing demand Language of Instruction of Higher and Secondary Specialised in Uzbekistan, as many people from Local languages Education, which deals exclusively traditional disadvantaged socio-eco- with professional and higher educa- nomic backgrounds are beginning to Programme Partners tion. The Ministry of Public Education understand the benefits of continu- Ministry of Public Education, is responsible for delivering education ous education for the development local authorities and NGOs through three mechanisms: of themselves, their families and their communities. In 1999, the establish- Date of Inception Formal education: This sector ment of Community Learning Centres 1999 provides formal schooling, from began, with an aim to satisfy these pre-school to advanced further demands. education. In Uzbekistan there are BACKGROUND currently more than ten thousand AND CONTEXT general secondary schools, 63 THE COMMUNITY higher education and 539 technical LEARNING CENTRES (CLC) With a population of approximately vocational institutions. The formal 27,191,000 people, Uzbekistan is education sector also includes According to UNESCO, a CLC is as the most populated country of the the assessment and awarding of a community-based non-formal Central Asia sub-region. 60 per cent all state-accredited qualifications. educational institution or organi- of this population reside in rural areas Through the formal education sector, sation which provides a range of and are typically occupied in rural pri- Uzbekistan has already reached its services and learning opportunities mary industries, although this number Millennium Development Goal for to out-of-school children, youth and has declined significantly in the past universal access to primary education, illiterate or semi-literate adults from two decades in response to a shift and reports literacy rates of nearly socially disadvantaged rural and in Uzbekistan’s industry focus. The 100 per cent. urban communities. The CLCs operate independence of Uzbekistan in 1991, outside the formal education system allowed the country greater flexibility Non-formal learning and educa- and intend primarily to address the in developing new branches of indus- tion: Through educational establish- learners’ basic literacy and educa- try. Since then, the traditional focus ments that are not connected with tional needs and therefore support on cotton-dominated primary indus- formal adult education, non-formal the holistic development of citizens try is being gradually shadowed by education provides retraining or up- and communities. As non-formal the emergence of industires in oil, gas grading of vocational skills. This may educational institutions, CLCs are and production, such as the produc- include a wide range of levels from usually established and managed tion of automobiles. Consequently, training in basic literacy, to advanced by local communities with financial the significant economic misfortunes application of ICT in enterprising. The and technical support from various of the country that were prevalent role of non-formal learning may be governmental and non-governmental during its pre-independence years simply conceptualised as learning to agencies. Furthermore, their activities have been largely transformed, and apply literacy and contents of formal are also tailored according to the in 2000 Uzbekistan’s GDP was up education to the development of local context in order to address the 4.2 per cent, largely due to an 8.5 vocational skills that may assist in local community’s problems as well per cent increase in manufacturing. personal development. as to satisfy its basic needs. Uzbekistan’s economic turnaround coincided with large improvements Informal learning: Uzbekistan has The introduction of lifelong learning in social and economic indicators, as identified informal learning as the in Uzbekistan was marked with the well as an education reform. mechanism in which people continu- establishment of ten Community ously learn under their own initiative. Learning Centres, a project supported In 1997, Uzbekistan enacted a Law This includes personal study assisted by UNESCO within the framework of on Education that would reform the by national publications as well as the Asia-Pacific Programme Education country’s educational framework, and indirectly educational programmes for All (APPEAL). Each one of these set a realistic framework for lifelong broadcast and distributed by the UNESCO sponsored CLCs is located learning that would ensure contin- mass-media. in a different province, typically in Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development 77 disadvantaged areas, and is normally Aims and Objectives the majority of the discussion and complimented by a large number of decision making process of the CLC small-scale satellite CLCs, established Since Community Learning Centres are carried out. This includes forward by communities, local authorities or fall under Uzbekistan’s non-formal planning for CLC programmes and NGOs. There are currently 10,750 education sector, it is relevant to note activities, personnel management, such organisations in Uzbekistan, the primary objectives of non-formal resource management and the although these organisations are education: development of financial resources. self-proclaimed, and the vast majority are limited to educational consulta- ■■ to support the development of Within the CLC personnel struc- tion services and the promotion of personal self-confidence and the de- ture, the deputy director acts as larger CLC activities. Since most of velopment of personal and communi- programme coordinator. Within the country’s population lives in rural ty capacities; each programme, the instruction is and remote areas, it is important for ■■ to help people understand headed by a specialist in the relevant the CLCs to have a large presence relations between themselves, their field, who is supported by qualified in rural areas, and this is partially neighbours and the world, arising teachers, who are again supported by achieved through this satellite from diverse cultural identities amidst volunteers. structure. a continuously accelerating globalisa- tion process; CLCs are supported by a central CLC educational programmes are ■■ to support the formation of an CLC Resource Centre in Tashkent, focused entirely on the skills needed individual’s co-responsibility for his or the capital of Uzbekistan. This by the people of the community her own community and for society resource centre coordinates CLC in which it serves; these may be as a whole. activities nationally, and provides literacy and numeracy skills, or they materials such as publications for may be more vocational skills. These Community Learning Centres are common teaching programmes. For programmes are directed towards established primarily to help to deliver assistance with financial and tangible the acquisition of knowledge that will the first of these objectives. Some of resources, most CLCs have estab- lead to quality of life improvements the specific aims of CLCs are to: lished relationships with local NGOs, and the development of vocational universities, healthcare providers and capacity. Over the past decade, since ■■ provide opportunities for indi- small or medium enterprises, who the establishment of CLCs, education- viduals to acquire knowledge and are sometimes able to provide the al programmes have been continu- skills through structured activities in CLC with money, expert teaching ously evolving according to the social non-formal learning environments; staff, specialist equipment and other needs of the community, who are ■■ link literacy with life opportunities services. More funds are sourced typically encouraged to devise and and skills; through income generation projects follow their own training programme ■■ involve all members of the commu- such as the sale of products, cultural curriculums. Typical activities of CLCs nity in participation of programmes shows or services. include, but are not limited to, the and decision making; following: ■■ promote dialogue within the community and between community Recruitment and Training ■■ child preparation for elementary members and local authorities; of Facilitators school; ■■ develop partnership links with ■■ foreign languages; potential national and international The CLCs three main levels of ■■ literacy (transition process from stakeholders; recruitment are for programme Cyrillic to Latin alphabet); ■■ mobilise efforts toward alleviating specialists, general teaching staff, and ■■ ICT programmes, ranging from the poverty situation in neglected volunteers. Programme specialists basic skills to applications for enter- areas. are normally approached by the CLC, prising; and are paid on a part time basis. ■■ health education, including repro- For example, for an environmental ductive health, disease prevention PROGRAMME programme, the CLC may seek an and nutrition; IMPLEMENTATION: expert such as a local NGO project ■■ early childhood care and educa- APPROACHES AND coordinator or a university lecturer. tion; METHODOLOGIES General teaching facilitators are also ■■ ecological programmes; offered part time wages, and are ■■ vocational skills training; recruited primarily from other educa- ■■ income generating projects; Organisational Arrangements tional establishments. Most also have ■■ cultural programmes; jobs in the formal education sector, ■■ sports and recreational activities; Each CLC is headed by a director and or are retired teachers from this ■■ provision of resource centres and a deputy-director, who consult with sector. All of these instructors hold libraries. the CLC planning committee twice a teaching qualifications. Volunteers year. A wide selection of people from are welcomed from any sector, CLC activities will be described in the educational ministries, NGOs, including university students, workers further detail later in this case study. local authorities and the communities in the enterprising and healthcare are invited to participate in these sectors, and general members of the planning committees, in which community. 78 Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development
Training of staff is considered a key is part of the northern Karakalpak- skills. However, many people are still element of CLC resource building; stan Republic region, in which half excluded, particularly women, as they general teaching facilitators and of the Aral Sea lies. The Aral Sea, have not had the opportunities in volunteers are encouraged to attend which was once the fourth largest formal education to develop sufficient training workshops and seminars lake in the world is being described skills. The Izboskan CLC provides a organised by the CLC Resource Centre as one of the earth’s worst environ- programme that familiarizes learners in Tashkent, the education ministries, mental disasters, shrinking to just with a wide range of work orientated UNESCO and other local NGOs. 10 per cent of its original size over skills, such as ICT use, administration Examples of such training workshops the past decades. A large number of and critical thinking, in order to make include: environmental international NGOs learners from disadvantaged back- are working in the area, and experts grounds more employable. ■■ New educational technologies. assist in providing the CLC with edu- ■■ Sport competitions: Learners ■■ Innovative educational approach cational programmes for children and in Izboskan province requested to CLC strategy and community de- adults that explain the environmental programmes that might restore a velopment for the staff and manage- phenomenon, and address methods sense of community to their densely ment of CLC. of societal adaptation that are already populated region. The CLC created a ■■ New pedagogical technologies in required in order to mitigate the dis- series of sports training sessions and formal and non-formal education. aster’s substantial hazards to health, competitions in order to address this. ■■ Development of preventative and livelihoods and industry. reproductive non-formal education ■■ Cultural heritage programmes: for youths, adults, women and Many of the major CLCs run cultural PROGRAMME IMPACT parents. heritage programmes, as a means to AND CHALLENGES ■■ Small scale enterprise. connect communities with each other ■■ Training to complement the facili- and with their histories. This is also tator handbook. seen as a key programme for efforts Monitoring and Evaluation ■■ Utilization of ICT in CLCs in the integration of immigrant ■■ ICT application for community minorities. Monitoring and evaluation is empowerment. ■■ Income generation projects: CLCs conducted at local and national level. in Bukhara and Namangan provinces At local level, each CLC planning have delivered income generation committee meets twice a year to Mobilisation of Participants projects, in which participants have discuss the relative successes of the developed skills in a certain mar- previous period, and to plan for The CLC delivers programmes based ketable industry, such as weaving, the future. These evaluations are entirely on the needs of the local and then found mechanisms to sell based on feedback from teaching people. Specific teaching methods their work through the CLC. The staff, learners and other community therefore vary widely according to programme in Namangan province members. the programme being taught and was combined with a Small Scale the preferred teaching methods of Enterprise for Women programme, On a national level, the CLC Resource the participating expert. In general, in which the women in the group Centre in Tashkent conducts its learners are encouraged to specify formed a small scale enterprise, and own evaluations and reports to the their own learning goals and plan, learned about the relevant man- Ministry of Public Education. These and so instruction normally involves a agement and administration skills, assessments cover the following mixture of group work and individual alongside the development of their areas: instruction. Some examples of CLC production skills. activities follow. ■■ ICT skills development Most ■■ Learning achievements. CLCs offer programmes in ICT skills. ■■ Contents and structure of pro- ■■ Health education on reproduction These range from basic ICT uses, grammes. and family planning, drug abuse, to advanced website development, ■■ Qualifications of teaching staff. HIV and AIDS: CLCs in Khorezm and according to the needs of the local ■■ Integration of education and Samarkand provinces, where there is community. production. a relatively high rate of HIV infection, ■■ Parental education and early ■■ Management of the training employ experts from local healthcare childhood development: The CLC process. providers to design training pro- in Izboskan, a very populated area ■■ Development of markets for edu- grammes on these important issues. where health indicators for children cational services. Learners are encouraged to diffuse remain relatively poor, combines a ■■ Application of ICT in the CLC their acquired knowledge throughout programme in parental education for administration. the community. childhood development with a child ■■ Availability and use of material and ■■ Environmental education: Envi- healthcare clinic service, operated in technical resources. ronmental or ecological programmes cooperation with local health-based ■■ Availability and use of financial have been operating in CLCs in NGOs. resources. Khorezm, Nukus and Smarkand prov- ■■ Work orientated skills: Due to the ■■ Local and national partnerships. inces. These programmes are selected high population density, and there because of their relevance to the local are a wide range of employment sec- In addition, some CLCs have more people. For example, Nukus province tors available for people with relevant specific evaluation agreements with Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development 79 private donor organisations, whose The development of legislative encouraged to continue to upgrade continued funding of CLC activities support for the non-formal education their teaching qualifications regularly. depend on positive evaluation results. sector has been insufficient, particu- ■■ Every CLC should be connected to larly in efforts to make certificates the internet. obtained in CLC courses nationally ■■ Materials and resources to support Impact recognised qualifications. programmes should be produced and supplied on a systematic, rather than The following positive impacts of There is insufficient public awareness an ad-hoc basis. Community Learning Centres have of the role of CLCs and the activities ■■ Efforts should be made to engage been identified: available. more members of the community, and therefore to expand the available ■■ In rural areas, CLCs have become Networking between CLCs is slow programme of activities. centres of culture and community due to communication constraints, ■■ Educational activities should be activity due to their innovational normally as a cause of poor or lack coordinated with the educational activity. of internet connectivity due to poor policies of regional and local govern- ■■ CLCs are considered to be places infrastructure, and it is therefore mental bodies. where communities are solving their difficult to share knowledge and ■■ CLCs should focus on the regular problems and planning their develop- experience. acquisition of new information on ment. The centres provide an excel- pedagogical techniques. lent community forum for meeting, ■■ The Ministry of Public Education discussing and exhibiting ideas. SUSTAINABILITY should explore the potential for a CLC ■■ CLCs have led to the diversification mobile training team, equipped with of rural industries, as people living in To ensure project sustainability, modern techniques, methodologies remote areas have had the opportu- CLCs will focus their efforts on and learning materials. nities to develop professional skills in developing more partnerships with various employment sectors. This is a other organisations that may be able Sources very important outcome in a country to supply assistance through material where 60 per cent of the population or financial donations, through the ■■ DESD (2010) DESD Around the reside in rural areas. provision of staff or through advice. World: Uzbekistan ■■ Shifts from centralised to largely ■■ Haddad (2008) Community Learn- decentralised decision making pro- In particular, proceeds from extended ing Centres: Country reports from cesses, in community development, fund raising will be concentrated into Asia, UNESCO, Bangkok. have been observed. This is largely upgrading ICT technologies, such ■■ Ikramov, A. Policy on Adult Educa- credited to the community engage- as internet access, and creating and tion in Uzbekistan. National Commis- ment methods of CLCs. distributing more publications to ion of Uzbekistan for UNESCO ■■ Public awareness of the impor- assist trainers and learners with their ■■ Musabaeva, K (2004) Country Re- tance of lifelong learning is increas- programme studies. port on Community Learning Centers ing. in Uzbekistan. National Commision of ■■ The capabilities of communities to Uzbekistan for UNESCO face the challenges of development LESSONS LEARNED are improving. UNESCO (2011) Brief Situation ■■ A great range of personal bene- The following lessons, and future Analysis of CLC in Uzbekistan. fits have been observed, including plans for CLCs in Uzbekistan have improvements in health and living been identified: standards as well as greater confi- CONTACT dence from those who have been ■■ In order to ensure relevancy of empowered to participate more in programmes, the educational courses Uzbekistan National Commission for community processes. should be of a standard that is high UNESCO enough for the learner to achieve 54, Buyuk Ipak Yuli Street, Tashkent qualifications with national recogni- 700077 Challenges tion. Phone: 998-712-670542 ■■ New CLCs should be opened in co- Fax: 998-712-670538 CLCs in Uzbekistan have faced the operation with secondary education E-mail: [email protected] following challenges: establishments, in cooperation with the Ministry of Higher Education, in A shortage of financial and material order to broaden delivery areas and resources continues to threaten target populations. programme quality and potential ■■ Local and national governments expansion. should promulgate legislation to support CLCs and to give their certifi- There is a great lack of methodolog- cates accreditation. ical literature and didactic materials ■■ Alongside training seminars and for trainers and trainees. workshops, facilitators should be 80
VIET NAM
Community Learning Centres – An Active Tool in National Literacy and Post-Literacy
Implementing Organization Women from ethnic-minority groups rape and social discrimination. It Continuing Education Department, living in rural communities or with consists of five grades, each of which Ministry of Education and Training migrant status are particularly likely takes learners three months to com- to be disadvantaged. Ethnic-minority plete. Topics taught include reading, Language of Instruction women living in rural communities writing, arithmetic, society, science, Vietnamese (Kinh) and a number of are over-represented among the agriculture, environmental protection, minority languages, including Nung, poor, for example, while the gender human rights, gender equality, and Tay, Khmer, H’mong, Ede and Dao gap in education persists within parenting. ethnic minority communities. Women Funding in Vietnam also have poorer access The programme is currently im- Vietnamese government, to health services than men and con- plemented nationwide in 10,815 international NGOs tinue to be victims of gender-based communities in 63 provinces. violence. Female workers tend to Every year the programme reaches Programme Partners earn less than men and are less likely around 26,500 participants in Main partners are the Ministry to receive vocational training (World literacy classes and some 21,300 of Education and Training and Bank, 2011). participants in post-literacy classes. UNESCO Hanoi. Other partners From its inception in 2009 to 2013, include the Ministry of Health, The Vietnamese government 238,942 learners participated in the the Ministry of Culture, Sport and recognizes that adult literacy and programme. Tourism, the Vietnam Association gender equality, especially among for Promoting Education, Vietnam’s ethnic minorities, need further National Fatherland Front, the improvement. Its five-year plan for Aims and Objectives People Mobilization Division of socio-economic development in the the Border Guard Command, country acknowledges that improv- The programme has two sets of ob- the Women’s Union, the Youth ing the living standards of ethnic jectives related to different timelines. Union and the Farmers’ Union. minorities is necessary in order to The first set of objectives, which promote further development within programme implementers want to Annual Programme Costs Vietnam. The Community Learning achieve by the end of 2015, are to: 120,000,000,000 Vietnamese Dong Centres – An Active Tool in National or VND (around USD 5,700,000) Literacy and Post-Literacy programme ■■ Increase the national adult literacy fits well into this context as a large- rate to 96%; Annual programme cost per scale government-run programme ■■ Increase the adult literacy rate learner that aims to alleviate poverty among among ethnic-minority groups to 1,050,000 VND (around USD 50) the rural poor and to promote gender 86%; and equality (World Bank, 2014). ■■ Promote and sustain the develop- Date of Inception ment of community learning centres 2009 in Vietnamese communities, with a PROGRAMME OVERVIEW particular focus on remote mountain- ous areas. COUNTRY CONTEXT The programme was launched in 2009 by the Vietnamese Continuing The next set of objectives, for 2020, Vietnam has made substantial Education Department. The main are to: process in achieving the Millennium goal is to promote adult literacy Development Goals, and has been and reduce poverty among ethnic ■■ Increase the national adult literacy successful in eradicating extreme minorities living in remote regions of rate to 98%; poverty and hunger, and in securing Vietnam. In addition to community ■■ Increase the adult literacy rate gender equality in educational development, the programme also among ethnic minority groups to enrolment. Female participants now strives to empower women and to 90%; and make up 50% of enrolments in both promote gender equality. It aims ■■ Continue establishing CLCs in primary and secondary education. to raise the status of women in remote communities in Vietnam. Despite this progress, gender communities to help them protect inequality remains a major issue. themselves against domestic violence, Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development 81
In addition to improving literacy rates, open to all members of a community learning plans, implementers take the the programme aims to promote regardless of age, gender or religion. number, gender, age and the religious community development by reducing The first step in implementation is and ethnic background of learners poverty levels and contributing to the to determine the learning needs of into consideration. In general, eradication of hunger. To reach these a community. Here, the programme teachers have the freedom to adjust goals, programme implementers relies on a tailored approach that the teaching content and methods to teach communities about agriculture, aims to reflect, as much as possible, suit the specific needs and situations nature, science and technologies in the needs of the community. In the of learners. order to raise their standard of living beginning, facilitators of a local and to empower them to address community learning centre (CLC) talk The teaching approach adopted and solve the challenges they face. to community members and encour- by the programme tries to involve Additionally, the programme aims to age them to participate in the literacy participants actively in the learn- empower women and to promote courses. This activity takes place in ing process. Facilitators employ the languages of ethnic minorities coordination with local women’s un- literacy teaching methodologies through reading and writing classes. ions, youth unions, heads of villages, that promote critical thinking and These classes are held in theNung, local schools and the Department independence. For example, one of Tay, Khmer, H’mong and Ede of Education and Training (DOET). the methodologies used is REFLECT languages. Programme implementers also (Regenerated Freirean Literacy organize events, such as literacy days, through Empowering Community to raise awareness of the programme. Techniques). In addition, facilitators PROGRAMME The next step is to survey the local use traditional Vietnamese literacy IMPLEMENTATION population to evaluate existing levels teaching methods whereby students of literacy within the community. listen to and imitate the teacher. Besides evaluating participants’ Facilitators do not want to lecture Teaching and Learning: reading and writing levels, the to participants, but seek rather to Approaches and surveys also assess the learning needs actively engage them in the learning Methodologies and aspirations of respondents. CLC process. They facilitate discussion managers and DOET employees then among learners as to how best to The programme, in the main, targets analyze the surveys and develop address and solve local problems. adults, specifically women and minor- a tailored learning plan for each This helps develop analytical skills and ity groups. However, the courses are community. When designing these critical thinking, as well as developing 82 Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development life and literacy skills. Literacy and pcgd.moet.gov.vn) and CLC manage- of the programme. These committees post-literacy classes can also take ment software (http://clc-mis.edu.vn) evaluate awareness-raising, partici- the form of on-the-job training. For to administer the programme. Both pant mobilization, organization and example, facilitators organize classes databases are accessible to the public teaching components. Second, local on fertilizer application techniques and provide information on literacy DOETs conduct quarterly reports outside in the fields. arranged by gender, age, year, and on programme implementation. region as well as by the number of Twice a year, in May and November, CLCs. Facilitators use computers with the DOETs send reports to the CED Programme Structure internet access to conduct classes on which then collects and analyzes the and Process agriculture and science. data. To supplement these reports, CED employees conduct field visits The programme is split into five Using the available textbooks, facil- to CLCs to understand how imple- grades. Completing one grade itators teach the following subjects: mentation looks on the ground. In usually takes around three months. Vietnamese, mathematics, society June each year, the data is presented Therefore, completing the entire and nature, science, and history and and discussed at a meeting of CED literacy and post-literacy programme geography. Courses aimed particu- specialists and the board of directors. takes 15 months. The average larly at women and minority groups At the end of the meeting, CLCs who number of learners per group is include the following: human rights, fared particularly well receive awards, between 20 and 30. If there are not gender equality, health (specifically while CLCs that need improvement enough learners to fill all the places preventive health, HIV/AIDS, nutrition are notified. at one grade, facilitators will usually and hygiene) and parenting. Other arrange multi-grade classes. Literacy topics covered by the programme are Local DOETs also assess the outcome training sometimes also takes place environmental protection, sustainable of the CLC programme by examining on an individual basis. agriculture and economics. achievements and lessons learned during the year. Every two years, The literacy programme is divided workshops take place at central, into literacy and post-literacy phases. Facilitators provincial and district levels to review The literacy phase lasts from grade past experiences and implement one to grade three, while the post-lit- Facilitators need to have at least changes. CLCs also keep track of the eracy phase takes place in grades a high-school degree. There are number of people who complete the four and five of the programme. The between 20 and 25 learners to each literacy phase and those who go on curriculum is designed progressively facilitator. Full-time and part-time to the post-literacy phase. to move learners from being able to employees are mainly primary school read and write to acquiring life skills. teachers and border guard personnel After completing the programme, from the People Mobilization Division Accreditation Mechanisms learners have the possibility of going of the Border Guard Command. In on to further education. In line addition, union members, retirees After completing the literacy phase with the tailored approach of the and university students also support (grades one to three), participants Vietnamese CLC programme, the cur- teaching. They receive salaries and take a test. After passing this test, riculum is adapted to the socio-eco- are compensated for any overtime learners are eligible to continue with nomic background of learners and to they work. Some facilitators are the post-literacy phase (grades four the needs of the local community. For unpaid volunteers. These are mainly to five) of the programme. Upon example, in communities with high university students and students completion of all five grades, learners traffic accident rates, participants from boarding schools for ethnic take a final test supervised by the learn about traffic laws and ways minorities. All facilitators receive a local DOET. The test results determine to protect themselves from traffic course of training before they start whether participants are eligible to accidents. The teaching materials teaching. The content of their training pursue further secondary education. are literacy and primary education includes literacy, post-literacy and The test assesses the capacity of textbooks. The Continuing Education adult teaching methodologies. They participants to read and write. In Department (CED) was responsible are also trained in the programme addition, their maths ability and their for developing the textbooks, which curriculum, as well as in its monitor- knowledge of nature, science, society were approved by the MOET. Other ing and evaluation. The CED provides and human rights are tested. learning materials are sometimes training at the national level, while jointly developed by local DOETs, local DOETs also provide courses at partner organizations, programme the local level. IMPACT AND CHALLENGES facilitators and heads of villages. One example is the manual about cow farming techniques developed by Hoa Monitoring and Evaluation Impact and Achievements Binh DOET and Action Aid. Another is a textbook on pig farming developed The monitoring and evaluation pro- Out of the more than 130,000 liter- by Hoa Binh DOET and UNESCO cess consists of several components. acy learners who have taken part in Hanoi. Programme facilitators use First, every community that runs a the programme, 82% were women. statistical software called ‘Education CLC establishes an organizing com- Similarly, 80% of the 106,000-plus Statistic-Combat Illiteracy’ (see http:// mittee to monitor the implementation post-literacy learners were women. In Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development 83 general, slightly more than four-fifths from different social and economic CONTACT of learners (81%) who pass the backgrounds. Another challenge is literacy phase continue with the limited funding from government, Tong Lien Anh post-literacy phase. The substantial which can make it difficult to provide Specialist, Continuing Education number of programme participants support to participants while they are Department, Ministry of Education contributes to improving literacy rates taking the programme, for example and Training in Vietnam. The proportion of illiter- by providing them with goods such as 49 Dai Co Viet Street, Hai Bà Trung ate people in the population fell from rice and clothing. Another challenge District, Hanoi City, 6% in 2009 to 1.75% in 2013. The concerns the attitude of people in Vietnam illiteracy rate among ethnic minorities rural communities to education. Telephone/Fax: (+84) 988 867 866 dropped from 22.87% in 2004 to Typically, they attach less importance Email: [email protected] 5.6% in 2013. The education gender to it, a factor which, together with Website: http://www.moet.gov.vn gap also seems to have narrowed, bad weather and poor infrastructure, with the number of illiterate women can make it difficult to engage people exceeding the number of illiterate to participate in the programme. men by around 0.75% in 2013. Political and financial support from In addition to improving literacy rates, the Vietnamese government ensures the programme also helped indi- the sustainability of the programme. viduals improve their life and social Furthermore, local governments skills. It reduces hunger by teaching also support the programme by participants how to best use fertiliz- providing the infrastructure and ers, how to raise livestock and how to assistance needed to implement it. use environmental resources respon- The programme’s sustainability is also sibly. Participants also learn how to supported by donor organizations generate income and improve their such as the World Bank, UNESCO and living conditions. The programme World Vision. therefore also played a part in reducing the nationwide percentage of poor households to 7.6% in 2013, LESSONS LEARNED down from 11.4% in 2009. One issue programme implementers With regard to female empowerment, have to face is that participants’ the programme managed to improve literacy skills sometimes diminish the status of women within their over time. This is especially true of communities. According to figures participants who opt not to complete released by the General Statistics the post-literacy phase. Facilitators at- Office of Vietnam, incidences of tribute this to the traditional teaching domestic violence were reduced by method whereby participants passive- around 50%, from 12,527 reported ly learn literacy skills by imitating the cases in 2009 to 5,164 reported cases teacher. To solve this problem, the in 2013. The programme also induced teaching method is slowly changing women to take on more active roles to more actively involve learners in in their communities. the teaching process. In addition, programme implementers realized One feature that drives the successful that simply teaching participants how implementation of a CLC programme to write, read and count is insufficient is that the local CLC manager is to enable learners to remember usually also the head of the village. the learning content. As a result, This helps to tailor the programme facilitators have started to put more to the needs of the community and emphasis on teaching learners how promotes engagement among the to apply the skills in their everyday life local population. and income-generating activities.
Challenges and Sustainability SOURCES
One challenge of the programme ■■ World Bank (2011), Country Part- is to ensure that facilitators have nership for the Socialist Republic of the capability to teach adult literacy Vietnam for the Period FY12-FY16, programmes. For example, facilitators pp. 110 –112 sometimes need to know minority ■■ World Bank (2014), Vietnam languages and they need to be able Overview to understand and relate to learners 84
SLOVENIA
Challenges of the Countryside – A Rural Literacy Programme for Adults in Slovenia
Implementing Organization reached that level by 2020 and that able to participate in social activities Ljudska univerza Velenje (Adult 65% of the population aged 25–64 or progress in the labour market. Education Centre Velenje), had at least four years of upper-sec- Ljudska univerza Velenje, with the a non-profit education and ondary education (Adult Education support of the the Slovenian Institute training provider for young Master Plan 2014–2020). for Adult Education (SIAE), developed people and adults in Slovenia. its rural literacy programme in order In 2013 12.4% of Slovenes participat- to provide these communities with Language of Instruction ed in adult learning. The proportion training in literacy and sustainable Slovene had fallen since 2010 when 16.2% development. Teachers on the participated – a drop attributable to programme are trained by the SIAE to Programme Partners the difficult economic environment support locals in finding and taking Andragoški center Slovenije (Education and Training Monitor, advantage of the opportunities of- (Slovenian Institute for Adult 2014). Nevertheless, only four fered by the environment they live in, Education), and Kmetijsko gozdarska countries in the EU ranked higher: with a view, ultimately, to improving zbornica Slovenije (Chamber Sweden, Denmark, Finland and the their social and economic situation. of Agriculture and Forestry of Netherlands (UIL, 2013: 112). The Slovenia). Funding: Ministry of improvement was possible because The SIAE is the main national Education, Science and Sport, of funding from the European institution for research and develop- the European Social Fund and the Social Fund, active employment ment, quality improvement, guidance Employment Service of Slovenia. policies subsidising the education of and validation, and promotional and unemployed people, and initiatives informative activity in the field of Annual Programme Costs such as the Agency for Education of adult education in Slovenia. It drafts 8,500 EUR Employees, which was established in professional guidelines and evalua- 2009. The latter is a training fund run tions, monitors the development of Date of Inception by regional chambers of commerce the adult education system, develops 2005 which requires members to contrib- various non-formal and formal ute one per cent of their income for types of learning, and develops training their employees. Despite programmes to improve adult literacy, COUNTRY CONTEXT initiatives of this sort, private funding paying particular attention to improv- has decreased, with the take-up of ing the access of vulnerable groups of The 1998 International Adult Literacy adult learning by individuals and adults to education and learning. Survey (IALS) found that more than companies continuing to depend three-quarters (77%) of the Slovenian largely on whether or not the courses population performed at below the are funded in full by the government. PROGRAMME OVERVIEW international average for literacy skills. The results of the study – the One problem with taking a central- Challenges of the Countryside, a first-ever national survey of adult liter- ized approach is that success depends rural literacy programme for adults acy in Solvenia – caused shock waves to a large extent on the strength of in Slovenia, was developed by among Slovenian politicians. The local and regional capacity. Only 12 the Slovenian Institute for Adult government’s response was strongly out of 212 communities in Solvenia Education in 2005 in response to the centralized, increasing public funding, adopted annual adult education adult literacy problems highlighted in introducing new laws to promote programmes, and many local the IALS survey and an assessment of adult education and establishing new communities had neither the financial the educational needs of adults in the educational goals, to be achieved capacity nor the personnel to Slovenian countryside drawn from the by 2020. These included a 19% provide access to non-formal primary 2005 research project, Development participation rate in lifelong learning education without substantial state of the educational model for literacy among people aged between 25 and support (UIL, 2013: 72). development and sustainable devel- 64, and an 8% participation rate in opment of the rural areas in Slovenia. non-formal general education. The Rural parts of Slovenia are the The research revealed that a large government also aimed to ensure that least developed in terms of literacy proportion of the rural population in half of adults who had not attained proficiency. This means that people Slovenia lack the skills necessary for elementary school-level qualifications living in rural communities are less active participation in society and Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development 85
the labout market (only 10% have literacy, numeracy and ICT) and social the provider organization – Ljudska functional literacy skills, while 42% skills, to promote lifelong learning univerza Velenje – had to prove it have completed only primary-level and develop active citizenship among had trained teachers and premises education). Surprisingly, in light of unemployed and low-educated to deliver the programme. Funding these problems, more than 70 per people in the countryside. was afterwards guaranteed by the cent of adults surveyed remained Ministry of Education and Sport and motivated to take up further learning The programme offers opportunities the European Social Fund, which opportunities, perhaps because of to learn self-sufficiently and uses meant the programme could be the high rate of unemployment in project work as a pedagogical offered free of charge to partici- rural areas. The research also found approach, embedding basic skills pants. As the programme is part of that while there is an appetite for within the topics of sustainable Slovenia’s active employment policy, learning there are not enough learn- development and entrepeneurship by unemployed participants are also en- ing opportunities and appropriate initiating an economic activity that is titled to maintenance support in the learning programmes for this group environmentally friendly. form, for example, of a living-costs of adults. allowance and a contribution to travel costs . The research highlighted a number of Aims and Objectives features characteristic of the target The rural literacy programme is group: The programme aims to: a non-formal, 120-hour training programme that takes place, for the ■■ Negative previous experiences of ■■ Raise the level of literacy skills and most part, in adult education centres schooling, and poor general knowl- competences among unemployed or in venues in rural communities. edge; people with low levels of education in Each group is made up of between 12 ■■ Poor communication skills, and rural parts of Slovenia; and 16 participants who meet twice weak selection of information: ■■ Evaluate and assess individual tal- a week for four or five months, and ■■ Low estimation of the value of ents, potentials and resources; and are mentored by two teachers who education and learning; ■■ Motivate and empower adults give the classes together. The groups ■■ Low estimation of the value of tra- to start an economic activity on the focus initially on motivation, with a dition and local cultures for sustaina- basis of available resources, local view to encouraging participants to ble development; traditions and sustainability. get to know each other and assessing ■■ Little ability to adapt to technolog- individual learning needs. An assess- ical and other changes; ment of learning needs helps create ■■ Poor knowledge of economic op- PROGRAMME an open and negotiated curriculum portunities in the local environment: IMPLEMENTATION and supports the development of ■■ Low self-esteem and overlooked individual learning plans. potentials; and ■■ Poor access to information about Funding and Structure opportinuties in the local environ- Curriculum ment. The programme was approved by the Republic of Slovenia’s Expert Council The programme curriculum includes Taking these findings as a starting for Adult Education in 2005 and is basic literacy and numeracy skills, point, the programme aims to im- accredited by the education minister. communication and social skills, prove basic skills and competences (in In order to qualify for public funding, learning to learn, active citizenship 86 Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development and ICT skills. This is a basic frame- Teaching Material is why teacher training programme work. The exact content depends includes the topic ‘challenges of the on the characteristics of local Teaching materials are developed Slovenian countryside’, with emphasis communities and the needs and by teachers to reflect the needs of on these aspects: interests of the learners. For example, the learners and the learning topics. programme content offered Velenje Teachers select and adapt real-life ■■ Models of sustainable develop- included: materials as sources of learning. ment of the Slovenian countryside; The Slovenian Institute for Adult ■■ Cultural and natural heritage; ■■ Entrepreneurship in the country- Education recently (2011–2014) ■■ Family in transition; side; developed an innovative teaching ■■ Teachers seeing examples of good ■■ An introduction to various types of tool in the form of video and audio practice first-hand during field visits farm businesses; materials, based on narration and the as part of their training. For example, ■■ Applying for EU funding; life stories of learners (SIAE, 2013). they might visit a rural development ■■ Marketing and communication; centre to learn about its emphasis on ■■ National vocational qualifications; The use of computers and the inter- the preservation of local crafts and and net is encouraged in individual pro- sustainable development. ■■ Good-practice entrepreneurship jects, and the small-group approach visits within the local area. taken by the teachers supports this. For example, learners may design Enrolment of Learners their business card on the computer. APPROACHES AND Learners who lack basic ICT skills can The programme’s target group is METHODOLOGIES access a special computer literacy low-educated unemployed people programme free of charge. living in the Slovenian countryside The programme from the start who do not participate in education acknowledged education as a joint and learning. The programme is enterprise and sought to ensure the Recruitment and Training designed to remove both situational full participation of learners in their of Facilitators and dispositional barriers to partic- learning. For instance, participants ipation. The providing organisation get the opportunity to see first-hand Adult literacy teachers in Slovenia are (Adult Education Centre Velenje) examples of good practice in rural selected by the providing institutions prepares an introduction to prospec- entrepreneurship in their vicinity. (adult education centres, private tive participants in co-operation with The learning is considered successful education institutions, secondary the employment agency. Teachers only if learners actively participate schools with adult learning de- introduce the programme and the in all phases of learning – from the partments). Teachers in accredited content, and, when possible, former selection of topics to planning, courses (and also in adult literacy learners join them. Before it begins, carrying out a project, and monitor- courses) in Slovenia must have a the programme is introduced to ing and evaluating their learning. As a university degree, a teaching/learning relevant local organisations (such as result, the learning is variegated and qualification, and experience in adult the local chamber of agriculture and multilayered, and that is embedded education, especially in teaching forestry and local women’s groups). throughout the project, supporting vulnerable groups of adults. As Provider organisations also use the lo- participants to cooperate with part of their continuous training, cal media, though this has had limited each other, take responsibility and teachers on the programme must success. Experience sugggests that identify with the rural community. also complete the basic training personal introductions and word of Participants therefore learn to define programme for adult literacy teachers mouth are more effective approach- problems by themselves and to search (lasting approximately 100 hours). es. The rural literacy programme is for appropriate solutions to issues The training is free of charge. Provider free of charge for participants and for encountered during the learning organisations are responsible for the unemployed participants monetary process, while also reflecting on the first selection of teachers, since they contributions (transportation costs) decisions made. Teachers help them know the needs of the target groups. are guaranteed. with their activities and individually They select from teachers with a support the development of their strong motivation to work with numeracy, literacy and ICT skills. vulnerable groups of adults. During Assessment of Learning their training, teachers are introduced Outcomes The motivation given at the start of to literacy work methodologies, and the programme is crucial, particularly to the characteristics of the rural An individual learning plan is for vulnerable groups of adults. It is literacy programme, as well as to designed for each student at the promoted through the programme’s the needs and characteristics of the beginning of the programme and focus on the real needs of the par- programme’s target groups, with em- a formative assessment of the ticipants. These are often related to phasis on the network of institutions agreed learning outcomes is carried participants’ employment status and relevant to the local environment. out at the end. The rural literacy their interest in starting a business programme is an accredited course using the natural resources at their The strong focus of the rural literacy and participants receive a publicly disposal. programme is on environmental recognised certificate. Tthe Adult issues and sustainable growth, which Education Centre Velenje validates Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development 87
prior learning and participants in the programmes in 2010 revealed that programme, bringing long-term ben- rural literacy programme are encour- the rural literacy programme con- efits to individuals; and aged to validate their knowledge and tributed significantly to the learners’ ■■ Reinforced self-determination to skills. Learners on the programme self-determination and participation start small businesses. are also encouraged to undertake in social activities. Three quarters other, mostly non-formal, courses (76%) of participants between 2005 The programme’s impact on per- leading to national qualifications or and 2010 said they got to know their sonal development is best illustrated other learning progression routes. A living environment better, while 83% through the story of one of the national evaluation of adult literacy thought they had a better chance to programme’s participants: Mrs SM programmes in Slovenia confirmed succeed in their local community, and joined the programme in May 2010, that the new educational needs 87% realised new opportunities for attending until the end of June 2010 that emerged in the course of the themselves within their community. and completing the planned 120 programme are an indication of long- Teachers reported that participants hours of training. At the beginning of term effects of the programme. had acquired new communication, the programme, when participants social and interpersonal skills. The had the chance to talk about them- most significant benefits, according selves, she explained that years ago Monitoring and Evaluation to the teachers, were: new knowl- she had lost her job as a saleswoman edge and skills, self-determination in a shop and had been without a job The programme is supported by the and the motivation to undertake ever since. Her family owns a small European Social Fund which means further education (Evaluation report farm, which meets the needs of the that the Adult Education Centre of adult literacy programmes in family, but she wanted to acquire Velenje must submit a report to the Slovenia, SIAE, 2011). new knowledge that could be used in Ministry of Education, Science and the preparation of domestic products Sports, including data on various The main outcomes for participants (bread, baked goods, homemade aspects of the programme (actual on the progamme included: meat products, herbs, etc). She said costs, demography of the learners, that in addition to her lack of relevant etc). During 2009–2010, the ministry ■■ A more positive, relevant educa- knowledge, she also lacked confi- commissioned a national evaluation tional experience, enabling partic- dence and, above all, the courage to and renewal of adult literacy ipants to fulfill their most urgent enter the market with her products programmes in Slovenia. real-life needs; and start selling them. ■■ Knowledge which is useful in everyday life; Soon after joining the programme IMPACT AND CHALLENGES ■■ Positive experiences, new values Mrs SM defined her goal: to sell her and new beliefs regarding learning, own products at the farmers’ market Between 2010 and 2013 approxi- all contributing to the emergence of in Velenje. She pursued it by acquir- mately 500 low-educated adults from new educational needs; ing skills in both arithmetic (useful in rural areas participated in the rural ■■ These new educational needs are costing products) and literacy (useful literacy programme free of charge. A one of the most important factors in drafting product descriptions, national evaluation of adult literacy contributing to the success of the recipes, invitations and offers). On the 88 Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development computer course she designed her LESSONS LEARNED CONTACT business card and a presentation on her family’s farm. She became aware Changes are needed to the validation Ljudska univerza Velenje (Adult that she also lacked communication of skills and competences to give the Education Centre Velenje) skills, and knowledge of foreign programme wider recognition and Ms Mirjana Šibanc languages, production and process- increase learners’ motivation. Some Ljudska univerza Velenje, Titov trg 2, ing techniques, sales methods, and so steps have been taken since 2011, 3320 Velenje, Slovenija on. After completing the programme, including the implementation of an Email: [email protected] she took further courses and became innovative model of assessment and Tel: +386 3 898 54 50 an active member in two societies recognition of informal learning. Fax: +386 3 898 54 6 (the Society of Rural Women and the [email protected] Fruit Growers’ Association). It is necessary to develop better assessment of individual educational Andragoški center Slovenije She encouraged her husband to join needs and, accordingly, to improve (Slovenian Institute for Adult the programme so that he could areas of teacher training relating to Education, SIAE) acquire knowledge about supplemen- the needs of learners. Ms Ester Možina tary work opportunities and obtain Andragoški center Slovenije the permits required for supplemen- (Slovenian Institute for Adult tary activities on the farm. Finally, SUSTAINABILITY Education, SIAE) their efforts allowed them to sell their Smartinska 134a, Ljubljana. Slovenija products at the farmers’ market in Raising the level of literacy is one Email: [email protected] Velenje and thus achieve her goal. of the goals of the Adult Education Tel: +386 1 5842 560 Mrs SM still sells her products at Master Plan for the period Fax: +386 1 5842 550 the market. She has now expanded 2014–2020. This provides a strategic [email protected] her choice of products to include policy base for future provision and http://www.acs.si traditional products made in her development. Adult literacy provision region. She and her husband acquired in Slovenia is based on research find- all the certificates and permits they ings and development work carried needed to sell products from the out over a period of time. Slovenia farm. She is constantly exploring for has been participating in the second new possibilities for the expansion round of PIAAC and the results will of her business, including the sale of be published in May 2016. This could milk and pumpkin products. In 2011 well trigger further development in the family farm received a special this area, including the development award from the Slovenian Institute of sustainable provision. for Certification in Agriculture and Silviculture for its homemade salami. SOURCES
Challenges ■■ Drofenik, O. 2011. The Work of Adult Literacy and Adult Education A major problem is the unstable fund- Policies in the Education System in ing of literacy provision in Slovenia Slovenia. Background Paper for the (and the irregularity of funding from Global Report on Adult Learning and the ESF). Approximately half of the Education 2012 (unpublished). teachers are on a part-time contract. ■■ Eur-alpha. 2012. Rural literacy When the gaps between funding programme for adults in Slovenia – periods are too long, teachers might Challenges of the Countryside look for other, more secure work, ■■ Javrh, P. 2011. Insights from which could leave the rural literacy practicing adult literacy education, programme with insufficient trained Spoznanja iz prakse izobraževanja personnel. za pismenost. V: Javrh (ur.). Obra- zi pismenost: spoznanja o razvoju The renewed adult literacy pro- pismenosti odraslih. Ljubljana: An- grammes, among them the rural dragoški center Slovenije literacy programme, will need to be ■■ UNESCO Institute for Lifelong implemented in a way that reflects Learning (UIL). 2013. 2nd Global the revised requirements of ESF Report on Adult Learning and Educa- funding in Sovenia. tion: Rethinking Literacy. Hamburg, Germany: UIL. ■■ SIAE, 2013. Sense of initiative and entrepreneurship – audio learning material for adults. Samoiniciativnost in podjetnost – zvočnica, ACS 2013 89
BRAZIL
Alfabetizando com Saúde (Learning to Read and Write in Good Health)
Implementing Organization their lives than infants born to literate rates through improved adult literacy Curitiba City Council or educated mothers. The study thus and health education; and (Health Department) concluded that high infant mortality ■■ promote adult literacy as a vehicle rates in and around the city were for autonomous socio-economic Language of Instruction associated with high rates of illiteracy empowerment as well as a means of Portuguese among women as the principal care improving people’s quality of life. givers. These studies therefore Programme Partners recommended intensifying literacy Curitiba Education Department; and health education programmes. PROGRAMME Foundation for Social Action; IMPLEMENTATION Curitiba Voluntary Action Centre In light of this, the “Alfabetizando com Saúde” programme was Date of Inception developed. Its aim is to provide adult Target Groups and 2004 literacy programmes that simultane- Area of Operation ously promote health awareness, help prevent outbreaks of disease, increase The programme targets youth and CONTEXTUAL OVERVIEW environmental awareness and adults (male and female) aged 15 advocate for healthy living (nutrition). years and above – including out-of- The Alfabetizando com Saúde pro- school youth – from the fifty-five (55) gramme was initiated by the Curitiba Since its inception, the programme Municipal Health Units in the city City Council (Department of Health) has received a number of accolades. of Curitiba. However, most of the in 2002 and continues to be funded In 2004, the programme was offi- participants are women who remain by the city council’s departments cially acknowledged by the Brazilian the most socially and economically of Health and Education. It is an Ministry of Health at the 2nd National disadvantaged and vulnerable integrated programme that is built on Family Health Conference. In 2007, group within most communities as and reinforces Curitiba’s inter-sectoral the city of Curitiba won the “Free a result of traditional and ongoing (inter-departmental) collaboration from Illiteracy” certificate, which cultural practices that deprive them between the Centre for Health indicates an illiteracy rate of less than of socio-economic opportunities, in Education (CES), the Department of 4%. However, despite these positive general, and formal education, in Education’s Agency of Youths and trends, the benefits of the activities particular. Adults (EJA) and local communities. currently being carried out have yet to spread to the wider population. The programme stemmed from the Furthermore, levels of illiteracy and Programme Content realisation that improving people’s low education remain high. Hence, literacy levels is crucial to promoting there is still a great demand for and From the outset (2002), it was good health and functional societies. need to continue with programmes decided, for strategic reasons, that The need for literacy and health that promote both literacy and health the programme should address local education programmes in Curitiba issues. people’s immediate health concerns. was underscored by several base-line Consequently, the programme has studies. For example, the National been designed to improve literacy Household Research (PNAD) esti- Programme Objectives levels as well as to address a variety mated that there are over 40,000 of health issues and problems that are illiterate people in the entire Curitiba The programme endeavours to: prevalent in the city including: metropolitan area. Furthermore, a study by the Curitiba Municipal ■■ implement and promote the ■■ Hygiene and health issues (e.g. Health Department (based on an Council’s health and adult literacy cancer, worm infections, leptospiro- analysis of the Hospital Discharge policies through effective community sis, dengue fever, cholera, vaccina- Surveillance System) concluded that mobilisation programmes; tion, osteoporosis, HIV/AIDS, diabe- infants born to mothers with few or ■■ help prevent the outbreak and tes, sexually transmitted diseases) no literacy skills or education were spread of acute and chronic diseases ■■ Healthy eating and nutrition at increased risk (1.52%) of being as well as reduce infant mortality ■■ Family planning and child care hospitalised during the first year of ■■ Environment and health 90 Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development
■■ The administration of medicines
The programme is implemented with a great degree of flexibility and most lessons target current health issues and problems in the communities. For example, the first booklet (2002) focused on diseases caused by Loxosceles reclusa (a venomous brown spider which is very common in the city). HIV/AIDS is also included in most lectures because, despite the declining rates of AIDS infections in Curitiba, the disease still poses a major threat as peoples’ sexual life styles have not changed dramatically. Furthermore, high rates of inter-city migration means that rates of AIDS infection can increase at any time. The programme’s Psychosocial Units for Alcohol and Drug Addiction (CAPSad) also emphasises assistance to chemical dependents and those suffering from mental disorders. As severe social challenges, particularly poverty and unemployment, can 338 learners. One major challenge, social and epidemiological profile and lead to substance (drug) abuse, the however, is that community educa- educational (literacy) demands. programme additionally endeavours tors are not as motivated as might be to channel the energies of the youth expected due to the fact that they Most lessons are conducted using into productive activities. receive no remuneration for their participatory methods such as voluntary services. The programme simulations, drama, question and only provides a few educators with answer sessions and debates. These APPROACHES AND free tickets for public transport methods are built on and thus reflect METHODOLOGIES (offered by the Curitiba Education the learners’ daily lives. This is essen- Department). tial because it assists the learners, most of whom are barely literate, to Training of Trainers better understand the issues being Training of Participants/ discussed. Furthermore, participatory The programme is developed and Learners methods also motivate the learners implemented through a network to participate actively in the learning of qualified community volunteer Programme participants/learners process as they are able to integrate educators (facilitators) who are are recruited by Community Health their personal experiences and mobilised through the local Municipal Agents (CHA) who are the link knowledge into the “new” learning Health Unit (UMS). These volunteers between the local Municipal Health programme. The strategy as a whole are professionally trained as commu- Unit (UMS) and the wider community. re-affirms Paulo Freire’s observation nity educators or facilitators through Classes, with up to 20 students/learn- that: “Nobody educates anybody, as the train-the-trainer programme. ers, are held at least twice a week for nobody educates him or herself: men This programme trains educators in two hours, although alternative and and women educate each other in basic adult education methodologies extra schedules are often arranged. community, mediated by the world”. as well as covering the general Each class lasts between six and 12 In this context, the teacher (volunteer programme curriculum. After the months depending on the learners’ facilitator) and learners educate one initial training, community educators performance and progress. The another using their different expe- participate in monthly training ses- language of instruction is Portuguese. riences, knowledge and roles. This sions to enable them to keep abreast has the added advantage of building with the programme and current Instruction materials such as book- the learners’ skills and self-esteem developments in the field. lets, audio-visual materials, educa- as active participants in the learning tional music CDs, magazines and process. Since the inception of the pro- posters have been custom designed gramme, three hundred (300) and professionally produced by the A further innovative method links community educators have been Curitiba Departments of Education literacy education to practical and rel- trained, 163 of whom have worked (Youth and Adult Education sector) evant health issues. For example, one in the programme. As of 2008, 48 and Health (Health Education Centre). excellent approach teaches learners community educators were working The contents of these educational the alphabet while at the same time in 31 different localities catering for materials reflect the communities’ raising their awareness of illnesses Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development 91 and health risks. Hence, the letter “A” office. Furthermore, on-going field how to take the bus ... now that she teaches them about AIDS, how it is monitoring and evaluation is con- has learned how to read, she knows caused, how it spreads, how to iden- ducted through e-mail and telephone how to take the right bus, she no tify symptoms how to prevent it. For communication. At the end of each longer stays at home all the time; the letter “C”, learners find out about year, quantitative field research is instead, she visits her relatives’ house cholesterol and what they can do carried out in order to provide a more often and without depending to combat it. “H” stands for hyper- comprehensive and professional on help from other people.” tension (high blood pressure), while evaluation of the programme. This “D” teaches them about diabetes, report is distributed to all stakehold- Improvements in family and social and so on. By linking the provision of ers and helps to inform the structure relationships: the programme basic literacy skills to the promotion and content of the programme in the improved the learners’ social net- of good health, the programme aims following year. working skills and as a result, some to reduce infant mortality and the were able to establish functional misuse of medicines, and to improve relationships with members of the the beneficiaries’ health and living IMPACT AND wider community. Learners use these conditions. ACHIEVEMENTS relationships for collaborative work and general social assistance. The following results have been Funding and Costs noticed: Volunteer educators also attested to noticeable behavioural changes The programme is funded by the Improvements in literacy levels in learners (e.g. reduced levels local government through the city of participants of aggressiveness) that occurred of Curitiba (Departments of Health progressively during the training and Education). It is an integral part At the end of their “semester” class, process. of the local government’s Municipal participants had noticeably improved Plan. Although the running costs their reading, writing and counting Changes in habits and lifestyle: fluctuate depending on the number skills (literacy and numeracy). This for example, a volunteer, Educatro, of students/learners enrolled, the achievement indicates that the reported the story of a 49 year-old average programme costs at the time initial demands that participants had student with cholesterol and high of writing were as follows: when joining the programme had triglycerides who changed her eating been met. The following testimonies habits after attending the class on ■■ Total costs for the training courses demonstrate the joy of being literate cholesterol and is now buying foods per semester: R$ 189.26 (Brazil reais) and the attendant social benefits: that reduce cholesterol as well as $75.40 (US dollars) eating more green vegetables. ■■ Total costs of equipping the class- “I came to consult the doctor and rooms: R$ 159.83/USD 63.80 needed to sign a document. The After completion of the programme, ■■ Total monthly costs for trans- nurse noticed my difficulty and she some relatives of learners suffering port tickets for the volunteers: R$ suggested that I participate in the from psychological problems or 1,836.00/USD 732.56 programme. I began to study the depression (e.g. due to substance ■■ Annual cost per learner: R$ 20.14/ same day.” (T. dos S. S., 42 years, abuse) have reported changes in USD 8.00 UMS. Vila Leonice). the learner’s behaviour, such as ■■ Approx. exchange rate: 1 USD = a decrease in drug-taking and an 2.50525 BRL “My companion said that if I learned improved ability to form functional how to read, to write and to sign my relationships. very beautiful name, he would marry Monitoring and Evaluation me.” (D. M. S. 38 years, user of UMS The linkages between health Concórdia). education and the provision of health A committee was formed to oversee services have also helped some par- the continuous monitoring and eval- ticipants to become aware (i.e. from uation of the programme, comprising Improved sense of self-esteem, the description of disease symptoms representatives from the Health identity, empowerment and in class) of health problems of which Department (coordinators), a teacher positive future perspectives they were previously unaware and to specialised in Youth and Adult among learners seek treatment. This was particularly Education, two education profession- true of diabetic patients who were als from the Department of Education Participants were able to engage in referred for treatment and were also and the Heads of the Health Units. other livelihood activities without able to self-administer drugs. These representatives undertake asking for assistance and thus felt occasional visits to the communities liberated from the yoke of illiteracy, As further testimony to its success to assess and evaluate the progress as the following testimony shows: and potential, the programme has and impact of the programme on been adapted to Mozambique and beneficiaries and their local communi- A nursing auxiliary and a volunteer implemented there since 2006. ties. In addition, volunteer educators educator: “D. (a student enrolled also submit monthly progress reports in the programme) suffered from on their activities to the central chronic depression and did not know 92 Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development
Challenges and Constraints CONTACT
The main challenges and constraints Coordinator faced by the programme are: Marisa Marini Giacomini Rua Francisco Torres, 830-Cristo ■■ Limited resources: the programme Rei-CEP-80-060-130 is currently funded by the Curitiba Curitiba-Paraná- Brazil City Council with occasional fund- Tel. 0055 41-33509428 ing from outside groups such as the Fax 0055 41-3350-9320 Rotary Club. This has hindered the E-mail: [email protected] / expansion of the programme and [email protected] has also affected the motivation of http://www.curitiba.pr.gov.br community volunteers who, despite sacrificing their time from other live- lihood activities, receive no remuner- ation. The procurement of teaching resources is similarly affected. ■■ The train-the-trainer component is complicated because volunteers’ educational backgrounds vary widely, making it difficult to standardise the curriculum. ■■ It is also difficult to motivate adults accustomed to a specific way of life to return to the classroom. ■■ The lack of formal accreditation potentially weakens participants’ mo- tivation and undermines the marketa- bility of the programme.
PROGRAMME SUSTAINABILITY
Despite these challenges, the pro- gramme is, nonetheless, sustainable in the long term because the running/ implementation costs are very low. This is due to:
■■ the commitment of members of the public as demonstrated by the outstanding and critical role played by volunteers who receive no remu- neration for their work; ■■ the fact that programme is im- plemented in venues that are either cheap to rent or are provided free of charge by the community; and ■■ the public funding provided by Curitiba City Council for teaching materials and transport allowances for volunteers. Furthermore, the programmes are supervised, attended and evaluated by officers funded by the city council.
Moreover, there is still a huge demand from members of the community wishing to participate in training programmes. 93
CHILE
The Lifelong Learning and Training Project (Programa de Educación y Capacitación Permanente, Chilecalifica)
Implementing Organization positive changes in the investments de estudios), which was strongly Ministries of Education, Economy and regarding adult education since the promoted by the programme, is Labour; National Service of Training re-establishment of democracy in the being carried out by the Ministry of and Employment (Servicio Nacional country in 1990, they are still limited Education. de Capacitación y Empleo, SENCE); when compared to formal education Chile Foundation (Fundación Chile) of children and youths. The current educational system is organised THE PROGRAMME Language of Instruction in a 12-year compulsory period CHILECALIFICA Spanish comprising primary and second-ary levels, and tertiary non-mandatory The main strategy of Chilecalifica Funding services. Primary schooling has two was to implement innovative actions Federal government and 4-year cycles, and secondary has two and promote transformations within the World Bank years of basic education, followed by the three different learning modes, two additional years where students that is, formal, non-formal and Date of Inception can choose between regular (scien- informal learning, by integrating 2002 – 2010 tific-humanist), artistic and vocational education, work and economy. Thus, training. the programme set the basis for the establishment of several initiatives: BACKGROUND In order to improve Chile’s human AND CONTEXT resource development and solve Educational upgrade (nivelación some of these educational shortages, de estudios): created to expand the For the past 20 years, Chile has the federal government developed, in opportunity for completion of the been one of the fastest-growing 2002, a six-year pilot project known mandatory 12 years of primary and economies in the world, and one as The Lifelong Learning and Training secondary schooling in a flexible of the most stable and prosperous Project (Programa de Educación manner. This action comprised a countries in Latin America. Yet in y Capacitación Permanente, literacy programme and a flexible 2002, there were still more than 4.4 Chilecalifica), which was extended adult training programme. million people in the country with no until 2010. Chilecalifica was an schooling or incomplete primary and/ unprecedented programme in that Vocational training (capacitación or secondary education. There were it integrated education, work and laboural): designed to strengthen the also almost 500,000 illiterate adults, economy by combining the efforts articulation of vocational education at which corresponded to 4.3% of the of three ministries – the Ministries of secondary level with tertiary edu- population. Chile has moreover faced Education, Economy and Labour – as cation by aligning the curriculum at other challenges, such as no articula- well as effective previous experiences both levels, integrate secondary and tion between the formal, non-formal from youth and adult education and tertiary institutions with the labour and informal education modalities, job training initiatives. Its efforts market, and improve the quality and weak links between formal education were also innovative, since they went pertinence of pre- and in-service and the labour market, as well as the beyond the government and incor- teacher training. lack of an informational system that porated elements from civil society updates individuals on the demands as well as from the private sector. Labour training (capacitación of the productive sector and the Chilecalifica was a broad initiative laboural): designed to improve the offers of the educational system. that included many actions, such as labour skills of the youths, adults adult education and a certification over 50 years of age, women, and During the military dictatorship process to recognise labour skills. unemployed individuals by increasing from 1973 to 1989, the government the funding for the National Service paid little attention to adult edu- To date, the initiatives that were of Training and Employment (SENCE). cation. Rather, the federal financial designed under Chilecalifica are being investments were mainly focused on implemented as part of different Certifcation of Labour Skills basic services targeting children and ministries’ actions. Particularly the (certifcación de competencias youths. Although there have been educational upgrade (nivelación labouraes): a mechanism to certify 94 Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development
skills-based competencies acquired give coherence to the execution of ■■ articulating the learning provided through formal, non-formal and the programme through the work of in secondary and tertiary institutions informal learning. The certification units of execution. At the regional with the needs and demands of the process was designed to target level there was the involvement of labour market; in-dividuals who want to enhance the secretaries, who put into action ■■ improving the quality and per- their employability, i.e., those who the guidelines and plans previously tinence of the pre- and in-service are seeking em-ployment, or those designed. This level also included teacher training for secondary and who wish to maintain or improve the provision of services offered by tertiary technical-professional edu- current employment. vari-ous providers, such as private cation; schools, vocational institutions and ■■ increasing initiatives that apply Informational system: a public non-profit organisations, which were technology to learning services; informational system aimed at selected in annual calls for tenders. ■■ providing opportunities for certifi- providing updated, useful information cation of individuals’ knowledge and about professional and technical sector-specific competencies acquired careers, as well as courses and oppor- Aims and objectives through formal and non-formal tunities offered by tertiary education education; institutions. The information was The primary aim of Chilecalifica ■■ providing opportunities for indi- developed in particular to target was to enhance Chile’s social and viduals to acquire and/or enhance students, workers and employers economic development by improving their general and sector-specific who are seeking new employment employability and promoting active competencies and knowledge for opportunities. citizenship, i.e. facilitating the in- an improved work performance and volvement of individuals in all aspects productivity. Chilecalifica was characterised of economic and social life. More as being a multi-stakeholder and specifically, Chilecalifica endeavoured decentralised programme, since the to enhance the opportunities for PROGRAMME implementation of its initiatives was lifelong education and training, IMPLEMENTATION located at national and regional especially for youths and adults living levels, and involved public-private in poverty, and to improve the quality The educational upgrading initiative partnerships. The national level was and access to vocational-professional was the key youth and adult educa- organised into two courses of action. learning by: tional component of Chilecalifica. It First, the political and strategic was created with the main objective action established the guidelines and ■■ increasing literacy rates among of increasing coverage and educa- policies on which the programme youths and adults; tional opportunities free of charge would be based, and involved the ■■ increasing the percentage of for youths and adults. Contigo input from the highest level, such youths and adults who complete pri- Aprendo was a national literacy as the ministry level. Second, the mary and/or secondary education; campaign launched in 2003 aimed at coordination and execution track was ■■ aligning the curriculum between enhancing students’ social integration in charge to coordinate, support and secondary vocational schools and by teaching the basic competencies follow-up the implementation and tertiary institu-tions; in reading comprehension, writing Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development 95
and mathematics. It was designed part in an ongoing training aimed to tional upgrading, especially those in to address the educational needs of deepen their knowledge and teaching small and medium enterprises (SMEs). illiterate individuals who remained skills. The majority of facilitators are The age requirement for enrolling marginalized in the education system. university students and teachers, for primary education is 15 years To date, the campaign is a non-tradi- but there are also professionals from or older, and 18 years or older for tional literacy programme that serves other fields, for instance community secondary. Potential participants are as an entry door for the other two leaders. In the flexible modality, the mobilised through the mass media adult education programmes, the facilitators are required to have a (TV, radio and internet), and regional regular and flexible adult education tertiary degree in teaching. However, partner organisations. The majority programmes. The flexible modality, there is no pre- or in-service teaching of participants of both the literacy established in 2002, is an acceleration training, and in general they have programme and the flexible modality programme for the completion of no previous specialisation in adult are employed youths and adults, part primary and secondary levels, created education. Their ages range from 25 of the three lowest income deciles as an alternative programme to the to 81 years, and the great majority of the Chilean population, and come regular modality, in order to address of facilitators are females (55.2%). from urban areas. Also, an unusual the working and personal needs of Also, most of facilitators teach at the characteristic of the participants is its participants, by providing services primary level, and the fewest of these that the majority of them are females, with a higher degree of flexibility teach mathematics and philosophy. which contradicts the trend of the in terms of schedule, location, and regular modality and other educa- duration. tional services which are marked by Enrolment of learners a strong male presence. The average annual enrolment in the literacy Recruitment and training Contigo Aprendo targets individ- programme and the flexible modality of facilitators uals 15 years of age or older who is 20,000 and 60,000 participants, cannot read or write, or those with respectively. Additionally, Chilecalifica The minimum requirement to be a less than four years of schooling. also reached populations from the facilitator for the literacy programme Participants are recruited within their rural zones through local radio Contigo Aprendo is to have at least communities through direct invitation programmes using course contents a secondary degree, and be 18 from facilitators, and they have two from the flexible modality. years of age or older. Facilitators are months to enrol (April and May). volunteers, who receive a monthly The flexible modality targets youths monetary incentive of USD 120 that and adults, aged 15–65 years, who Teaching-learning approaches covers transportation expenses. They have an incomplete primary and/ and methodologies are required to attend a pre-service or secondary education, and who three-day training, called Jornada de seek an opportunity to improve For the literacy programme, classes Formación, where they learn about work competencies, employability, are held in places that are conven- the literacy process, youth and adult self-image and quality of life. This iently located close to the students’ education, and methodologies on modality was particularly designed to residence, such as community literacy and numeracy, and take attract workers in need of educa- centres, schools and churches. On 96 Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development
average, classes have the ratio of phase lasting six and eight months a model of educational accreditation one facilitator per fifteen students. for primary and secondary education, among the Latin American countries. They use literacy and numeracy respectively. Students are placed in text- and workbooks, as well as the level according to their initial materials such as dictionaries and level as measured by a placement Funding stationery which are provided by the assessment. For those who do not government. Students are required to pass the final exam, a reinforcement The total cost of all the initiatives attend classes for a minimum of six phase is also provided. This modality executed under Chilecalifica, which hours per week, two to three days is divided into modules: the primary lasted from 2002 to 2010, was a week during six months (June to level contains 12 modules, and the USD 150 million: 75 million was a December), but the schedule varies secondary level has 11. six-year term World Bank loan with among different cohorts since the a repayment period of 9.5 years, arrangement of the timetable is made After the completion of both including a grace period of 7.5 years, between the facilitator and his/her programmes, students are required to and USD 75 million were financed by students. The programme is divided take a final exam in order to accredit public treasury funds. into three levels, and through an their learning through the System initial diagnostic assessment, the of Evaluation and Certification of The educational upgrade initiative, facilitators assign students to the Studies. The exams are available on particularly the flexible adult edu- level that is in accordance with their a periodic basis, they are offered cation, was designed to employ a initial skills and knowledge. When by accredited schools, and are not results-based approach, where the teaching literacy, the facilitators mediated by the facilitators in order public and private providers of the systematically work to develop to guarantee quality assurance. services are paid according to student four complementary abilities: oral performance on the certification communication, reading, writing and There are five types of written exam. To date, the providers receive vocabulary expansion. When teaching open-ended exams aimed to certify approximately USD 60.00 and USD numeracy, the facilitators focus on different education levels. For primary 73.00 per student per approved teaching numbers and the idea of education, there are three exams module for primary and secondary quantity, grouping and interpretation which assess literacy, numeracy levels respectively. The literacy of measurement units, arithmetic and integrated sciences, and can programme pays a monthly stipend operations, special forms and orienta- certify fourth, sixth and eighth of USD 120.00 to volunteers. The cost tion, and content interpretation, such grade degrees. For secondary level per student equals approximately USD as reading tables and graphics. there are two exams which certify 160.00, and includes the stipends to the completion of first or second facilitators, materials, trainings and For the flexible modality, classes level, and assess knowledge on the examinations for certification. are offered by educational estab- mathematics, social and natural lishments, organisations providing sciences and philosophy (the number capacity training, governmental and content of subjects varies per Monitoring and evaluation organisations, foundations, uni- level). The objective of these exams versities, etc. Students choose the is not only to provide accreditation to The monitoring of the educational location where they want to attend student learning, but also to track the upgrade initiative employs an classes based on the proximity of programmes’ progress and quality. information system that includes data their residence or place of work. The Chilean System of Evaluation and about all students, such as class fre- The programme starts with an initial Certification of Studies has become quency and test results. The process Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development 97
and results indicators used in the Presupuestos, DIPRES) of the Ministry among women and older adults who monitoring include, among others, of Finance. tend to be in the minority in the regu- enrolment rate, completion rate, lar adult programme; repetition rate, exam no-show rate, Impact studies on Chilecalifica show ■■ sustainable changes in the struc- drop-out rate, student information many positive achievements of this ture of secondary, tertiary and labour (e.g., gender, age, socioeconomic national programme, particularly as training and an increased focus on status), class schedule, methodology, a result of the educational upgrade skills which are relevant to the pro- exam results. Data are stored and initiative. ductive sector; analysed by the Central Level of the ■■ improved income and employ- Ministry of Education (Nivel Central Results from the literacy programme: ability of the beneficiaries of the del Ministerio de Educación). The education and training programmes, data for the monitoring process are ■■ Enrolments: approximately 90,000 resulting in medium and long-term entered into the system by the staff individuals, of which 71.4% were transformations in the country’s social of the institutions which provided the women (2003–2006); and economic development; education services (entidades ejecuto- ■■ Completion: approximately 33,000 ■■ improved opportunities for edu- ras), including updated information adults (6.6% of illiterate adults) ob- cation and training of female youths about the facilitators, student and tained a primary literacy competen- and adults. The country’s statistics group progress and learning, didactic cies certification (2003 – 2008). show that women tend to have fewer activities implemented by monitors ■■ Results from flexible adult educa- years of schooling and higher illiter- with descriptions and goals, and tion (2003 – 2008): acy rates, but with the educational a monthly report. The data for ■■ Enrolments: 427,861 in primary upgrade programmes, females were monitoring results come from the and/or secondary education; more likely to participate, and the written exams which students take ■■ Completion: 149,346 completions completion of their studies resulted after the completion of their studies, in primary and/or secondary educa- in an increased income and employ- and are entered into the system by tion; ability. the accredited schools that carry out ■■ Increase in coverage: expanded the examinations. enrolment in adult education by 40%, not by reducing the number of CHALLENGES The evaluation is external, and participants in the regular modality, designed to determine the overall but by increasing the participation The main challenge was to establish effectiveness of the projects. So of excluded groups such as women, the Lifelong Learning System far, there are two available impact unemployed and poor as well as (Sistenma de Formación Permanente), evaluations: older adults; a public policy aimed to generate a ■■ Level of satisfaction of sample sustainable link between education Impact evaluation on the flexible of participants: 49.5% and 41.6% and the labour market, as well as to educational upgrade modality: respectively of the students in pri- better articulate the different levels carried out from 2004 to 2005 by the mary and secondary levels were very of the education system (i.e., primary Economy and Development Institute satisfied with the courses. and secondary schools, and second- (Economía y Desarrollo); ■■ Overall, Chilecalifica has produced ary vocational schools and tertiary many changes in the country through institutions). The primary goal of this Impact evaluation on Chilecalifca: its various initiatives, which include: system was to allow people to have carried out from 2007 to 2009 by ■■ increase in the coverage of youth flexible learning opportunities and to the Budget Directorate (Dirección de and adult education, particularly provide additional alternatives to the 98 Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development regular training sessions. However, by fast-growing global economy such as about new opportunities on lifelong the end of Chilecalifica, this system Chile; learning and technical training. was not institutionalised. ■■ an adequate lifelong learning and training system requires various A particularly sustainable initiative Other challenges include: initiatives with a diverse set of players implemented under Chilecalifica was who function at different levels and the provision of educational upgrade ■■ the programme’s monitoring and in both public and private spheres. As programmes, which included the evaluation system was used primarily a result, there is the need of a good literacy campaign, flexible adult as a mechanism for data compila- coordination among the different education and the certification tion, rather than utilising the data to ministries and actors involved, as system. These actions are now part improve the project’s management, well as an efficient monitoring and of the adult education programme or to produce constant improvements evaluation system that will inform offered and financed by the Ministry and changes; what works and what does not work, of Education according to the legal ■■ high teacher turnover in the why and where the problems are that decrees passed in 2009: Decrees flexible adult programme: data from need to be solved. number 211 and 257. the six-year pilot showed that 75% of ■■ the improvement in the articula- the teachers participated for only one tion of technical education and train- year, and 91% for one or two years; ing with the needs and demands of CONTACT ■■ low teacher quality, especially in the labour market in some of the key the literacy programme, where many Chilean economic sectors is crucial in Maria Verónica Simpson facilitators are young (18 years old order to promote higher employabili- National Coordinator of Adult or older), and do not have previous ty and an increased income of youths Education teaching experience; and adults, as well as enhancing the Ministry of Education ■■ short and superficial teacher country’s international competitive- Av. Libertador B. O’Higgins, 1371 training for the literacy programme, ness. Santigo, Chile and a lack of teacher training focused Telephone: +56 2 3904000 on adult education for the flexible modality; SUSTAINABILITY ■■ high rates of student drop-out: about 56% of the students enrolled The initiatives designed and im- in the literacy program and an aver- plemented under Chilecalifica are age of 45% in the flexible modality; now being carried out by specific there were also many students who ministries, a fact which indicates how completed their studies, but did not sustainable this programme was. attend the final examination as a Chilecalifica established two different result of fear and intimidation. systems which contributed to the sustainability of the programme. The systems set the basis for a conceptual LESSONS LEARNED framework which addressed the Chilean educational and labour The following key lessons have challenges, as well as proposing new emerged from Chilecalifica, and solutions and actions: particularly from the educational upgrade initiative: The National System for the Certification of Labour Skills ■■ a sound system of incentives, i.e., (Sistema Nacional de Certificación the results-based approach where de Competencias Labourales) is a implementing organisations receive system for the accreditation of labour payment based on students’ perfor- skills in order to formally recognise mance, is essential for the success of individuals’ non-formal, informal an inter-sectorial programme, since it and formal learning in an attempt to allows the management units to keep provide an additional pathway for the supervision at a minimum; completion of primary and secondary ■■ partnerships established between education, and the public and private sectors are essential because they allow a healthy The Information System of the competition among educational and Labour Market and Training training providers, as well as provid- Provision (Sistema de Información ing economic incentives; del Mercado Laboural y de La Oferta ■■ lifelong learning and training is de Formación) is a system created to crucial to promote education equity provide information about the de- and for the development of hu- mands of the labour market, as well man resource in a country with a as informing the general population 99
HAITI
Basic Literacy and Vocational Training for Young Adults
Implementing Organization fruit (mangos and bananas), coffee, over the coming years. There is a dan- Department of the Secretary cocoa, sugar cane and manufactured ger that the efforts made to increase of State for Literacy (DSSL) products (this industry once em- literacy, which was not regarded as ployed more than 100,000 people), is a priority, may slow down. This puts Programme Partners now dependent on imports for more the country at serious risk of failing to Agencia Española de Cooperación than 50% of its consumption. achieve its goal of halving the adult Internacional para el Desarrollo illiteracy rate by 2015. (AECID), Argentinian partners Against this background, it is unsur- prising that the education system has suffered greatly in recent years. The PROGRAMME ORGANISATION system, which is dominated by the private sector (nearly 90% of schools With over 57% of its population The Department of the Secretary are run privately), does not provide aged over 13 unable to read or write of State for Literacy (DSSL) is the access to education for all and is one (SNA-EPT 2007, Global Monitoring national authority responsible for of the least effective in the continent. Report 2010), Haiti has one of the promoting literacy among the Poor governance is frequently cited lowest literacy rates of any country people of Haiti. Created in 1994, as one of the main causes of this in the world. This situation spurred it implements literacy campaigns, education problem, but the sector is various interventions at national promotes literacy by raising public also suffering from a significant lack level between 2001 and 2003. awareness and carries out surveys in of funding. Unfortunately, these efforts did not order to compile literacy statistics. lead to the desired outcomes. In the The most recent survey of this kind Over the last few years, the country Sud-Est département, 62% of people was conducted in 2002-2003. Since seemed to be back on the road aged over 14 are illiterate and, within 2006, national literacy campaigns to growth and stability after the the 14-30 age bracket, more than have been launched annually by the President Jean-Bertrand Aristide 30% of people are unable to read DSSL. With a view to implementing stepped down in 2004. However, or write. In the arrondissement of this project, which forms part of the following hurricanes and adverse Bainet in the Sud-Est department Literacy Initiative for Empowerment tropical weather that have hit the (the catchment area of the project) (LIFE), the DSSL has received technical Caribbean hard, Haiti is once again and both of the communes that it assistance from UNESCO and the experiencing serious humanitarian comprises, the number of illiterate Agencia Española de Cooperación problems. In addition to the tragic people exceeds 29,000 out of a Internacional para el Desarrollo effects on the population, with more population of 100,000. These factors (AECID). AECID and Argentinian than 800 deaths and one million formed the basis for the creation of benefactors are the funding partners. children affected, the hurricanes also this project, which was designed and had a severe impact on education implemented by the Department of infrastructures, with hundreds of the Secretary of State for Literacy CONTEXT schools destroyed. The hurricanes (DSSL) together with Spanish partners brought about a further shift in and UNESCO Haiti. With a third of its population living priorities in Haiti, and their effects on on less than USD 2 a day and half education will need to be evaluated of the population living on less than over the long term. General objective USD 1 a day (DSNCRP 2007), Haiti is undoubtedly one of the poorest Already beset by these problems, One of the areas of strategic action countries in the Western hemisphere. Haiti was rocked by a powerful earth- selected by the government is the A string of political crises since quake in January 2010, which caused development of human resources the 1980s and a chaotic economic major losses of life and property through increased efforts in the situation have contributed to this and paralysed the country for the six area of education and formal and/or state of affairs. The unemployment months. Its serious economic impact non-formal vocational training aimed rate is among the highest in the and the fact that education was at young people who are enrolled in Caribbean sub-region (25% according among the sectors worst affected schools, non-school-enrolled and/ to the DSNCRP 2007). The country, mean that the literacy and training or have dropped out of school and which once produced and exported needs of adults will remain significant adults. With this aim in sight, the 100 Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development general objective of the project is to With the target population already project to have a clearly-defined role help implement a human resources identified, the participants are and take part in the process. For development policy to raise the level selected by agreement between the the literacy stage, the person with of education of the populations, various actors (DSSL, UNESCO, AECID chief responsibility for monitoring is particularly those on low incomes. and community representatives). Two the département coordinator, who The strategic priorities selected to major training drives, each lasting receives field reports drawn up by the this end are (i) providing basic literacy four months, have already taken supervisors and support committees education to illiterate populations, place, and two further sessions will in the communes of Bainet and and (ii) providing vocational training be held in 2010 and 2011. The first Côtes-de-Fer. While courses are under in certain small-scale trades to literacy drive was implemented at way, the local coordinator and one enable beneficiaries to engage in the end of 2007, with 5,000 people member of the support committee income-generating activities. taking part. 134 literacy centres were (a local body representing the set up and provided with equipment. community) visit each centre twice a The approach was based on training month and a report is drawn up on Specific objectives modules specially designed by the each occasion. Monthly summaries of DSSL to cater to local realities across these reports are sent to the central ■■ To raise the literacy rate in the the area of intervention. The lan- office of the DSSL, UNESCO and Sud-Est département; guage of instruction is Creole, which AECID via the various focal groups. ■■ To help more young people find is used by the great majority of the work; population. The second literacy drive, Each local or community supervisor ■■ To build the operational capacities which followed the same approach, is responsible for supervising ten of the Literacy Coordinating Body of was participated in by 1,500 people. (10) centres. He or she has the job of the Sud-Est département. This second drive ended in December ensuring that supervision is contin- ■■ Implementation 2008. Each drive lasted five months uous. To this end, supervisors must and ended with a test. visit each centre at least once a week. They carry out systematic and ongo- Selection and training ing monitoring of centre operation of facilitators Literacy courses and facilitator attendance. They check the facilitator attendance register and The facilitators of the literacy training The second stage of the project regularly meet the support committee sessions are members of communi- involved building the capacities of the to share information. ties. The people chosen were those newly-literate people through voca- who had the required technical skills tional training. This stage followed a Facilitators are in charge of centres. and were highly motivated to serve study carried out in partnership with They are responsible for providing their communities. The 320 trainers the Institut national de formation pro- literacy training to the enrolled and 23 supervisors selected by the fessionnelle (INFP). This study, which participants assigned to them by DSSL were responsible for facilitating explored vocational training needs, the support committee and the and supervising literacy sessions at made it possible to identify three key département coordinating body. the centres. These people were given sectors: building, carpentry and cook- They keep attendance registers and the training that they needed to ery. Accordingly, three syllabuses and record absences and late arrivals accomplish their task. 16 learning guides were developed of participants. They are trained to specifically for the purpose of training provide high-quality facilitation and newly-literate people. Horticulture instruction, while also motivating Training of beneficiaries textbooks were also developed as participants. Their duties also include part of the Pro-Huerta project, a passing on observations to local Although it addresses the issue of supplementary initiative funded by coordinators via community supervi- literacy in general, this project is Argentinian partners. A small group sors. They act on the feedback given targeted in particular at young adults of promoters drawn from among the to them and use it to improve training within the 14-30 age bracket in the literacy facilitators was created and provision. arrondissement of Bainet, which trained to support the beneficiaries has a total population of 6,500. This of the Pro-Huerta programme in Monitoring and supervision visits are choice was based on the fact that the reinforcement of their reading also made by focus groups and the half of the population of Haiti is aged and writing skills. The vocational central office (of the support com- under 31. Working towards the liter- training stage of the project resulted mittees). Regular reports are drawn acy of this group thus increases the in the training of more than 1,000 of up to assess the situation within each scope for the social and professional the newly-literate people who had commune as regards the attendance reintegration of a very large segment already received literacy training. of participants and facilitators and of the population. the quality and effectiveness of training provision. Training is delivered to beneficiaries in Monitoring and evaluation two stages: A two-pronged evaluation system has A participatory monitoring and been created. One of the evaluation The first stage of this project involves evaluation system was developed methods involves setting participants the running of literacy sessions. to enable each stakeholder in the two simple reading, writing and Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development 101 arithmetic tests during each session. initiated by the project, will continue SUSTAINABILITY These tests are devised by the to be run by the DSSL as part of the département coordinator on the basis national literacy campaigns it has Despite being a pilot initiative of of the specimen papers provided by been implementing annually since relatively short duration, this project the central office. The second method 2006. These facilities should also features a number of sustainable involves evaluation of the project by serve as venues for other cultural and components. experts from UNESCO, AECID and recreational activities including future the DSSL, institutional evaluation, literacy efforts based on audiovisual The focus on a group that is vulnera- and evaluation of the objectives, methods that have been tailored ble but also has enormous potential activities, actors and participants. by the DSSL to cater to the needs (young people aged between 14 and A final external evaluation report is of Haiti. These steps should make it 30) reflects the desire to make the then drawn up and presented at a possible to gain the support of the project last. Literacy and vocational three-party meeting. local community and authorities training are seen as ways in which and contribute towards the project’s the target populations can identify The vocational training courses have sustainability. and capitalise on their potential. a duration of four months. Learners The sectors on which the vocational attend classes on up to three days The centres have also been used as training is focused are very well suited a week. The list of requirements for an environment in which to reinforce to the local environment and have learners is drawn up by the INFP the literacy skills acquired by learners. high income generation potential. in partnership with the DSSL. Each These courses have been attended by To help put theory into practice, training module comprises a mini- a total of 6,500 people, almost 70% the project will analyse and add to mum of 40 hours of classes. A final of whom are women. Despite the bad avenues of funding for micro-pro- assessment is carried out by trainers weather of 2008 and its disastrous jects, which will make it possible to who have received prior training from aftermath, participants achieved a free the target population from the INFP staff. During the training period, success rate of 36% in the final tests shackles of poverty and ignorance monitoring is carried out by the INFP of the literacy sessions implemented once and for all. and DSSL to establish how well the thus far. The vocational training courses are being run. This monitor- delivered in the skill areas identified This project has given scope for a sig- ing focuses on both the quality of has been taken up by 500 young nificant level of socio-environmental what is taught and also the impor- people. Nearly 750 young people anchoring. The activities incorporated tance attached by the trainers to the have received horticulture training into the project have enabled the reading and writing skills required of through the Pro-Huerta project. To target populations to look at their the participants by the project. Three help learners translate the knowledge environment with a critical eye. Haiti vocational training sessions are to be they have gained into income-gen- is regularly hit by climate-related and run as part of this stage of the LIFE erating activities, the project will environmental disasters. The project project for a total of 500 learners. attempt to establish synergies with has also brought social benefits. other projects and NGOs in the Particular attention was paid to the The food autonomy strand employs domain of microlending. This, in use of Creole in the development of 100 trained promoters, each of turn, will encourage the creation of the textbooks and training syllabuses whom is given an evaluation kit with small enterprises. Along similar lines, to make the learning process quicker which to monitor the progress made it is also expected that the project for the target populations and enable by beneficiaries towards the goal of will introduce the concepts of risk them to remember what is taught to literacy. All beneficiaries are given and disaster prevention through the them during the training. a horticulture and livestock rearing courses delivered, given the region’s textbook supplied by Pro-Huerta. extreme level of exposure to phe- On the institutional front, the project Pro-Huerta coordination initiatives are nomena of this kind. has boosted the strength of the carried out in Haiti every two months DSSL by transferring technical skills, in partnership with the IICA. As part of efforts to build national materials and equipment through capacities over the medium and long the various activities developed terms, a number of DSSL officers by the project. The equipment OUTCOMES received support from the project, acquired through the project, the though these efforts were wiped infrastructures improved by it and the Despite the difficult circumstances in out by the tragic impact of the 2010 teaching materials will become the which it has been implemented, this earthquake on the DSSL in terms of property of the DSSL. This will make project has yielded notable results loss of life and property.. However, the department better equipped for in the communes of Bainet and it is already envisaged that training its annual literacy campaigns and Côtes-de-Fer. in literacy project planning and training activities aimed at vulnerable management will be resumed once groups in Haiti. With a view to sustainable capac- the DSSL has relocated to its new ity-building, training centres have premises at the end of 2010. A second phase of the project is now been set up in both of the communes in the pipeline. It will consolidate targeted by the project. These the knowledge acquired by learners centres, established to host the liter- during the first phase and provide acy and vocational training courses training for 1,800 young people 102 Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development
aged between 14 and 40. Given the link between literacy and vocational passed. This result fell short of difficulties and experiences of the training. Literacy is increasingly seen expectations, but could have been past, this second phase will begin as a tool that enables communities better if the area had not been hit by with a better chance of achieving to reflect and take action to improve adverse weather. A special literacy satisfactory results. their socio-economic circumstances. session has been arranged for these The link with vocational training pre- beneficiaries, who had to break off vents loss - through lack of practice - their studies after a great deal of INNOVATIVE ASPECTS of the reading, writing and arithmetic effort and for reasons beyond their skills acquired and, at the same time, control, to enable them to complete One of the main innovations of enables communities to use what their training and obtain the certifi- this project is the fact that more they have learned to organise and cates they have earned. attention was paid to the needs of pursue their income-generating the communities in the development activities in a more effective manner. Although the destruction caused in of a literacy curriculum. The modules the area was limited by comparison and textbooks developed through the with that in the three départements project are based on local values and CHALLENGES that were hit hardest, the recent the day-to-day lives and aspirations of earthquake of January 2010 interrupt- the local communities. The operating The training courses were halted by ed the vocational training session and and monitoring/evaluation mech- the deadly hurricanes of 2009. The the implementation of the other liter- anisms created make it possible to Sud-Est département was one of the acy sessions. The trainers and all staff measure learner progress in a partici- worst-affected areas. The effect of involved in the project nevertheless patory fashion. In doing so, they also this on the project was that many showed their commitment and sense form a link between technical skills participants dropped out due to of responsibility, thanks to which the and the implementation of productive safety concerns. Just under 50% of courses resumed in July 2010. activities within the community. enrolled participants were able to take part in the final assessments of The other challenges encountered The other main innovation of this pro- the second literacy session (December include the difficulty of supervising ject is the establishment of a direct 2008), and only half of this group the activities under way due to the Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development 103 very uneven terrain in the areas of Santa intervention, with a lack of asphalt Port-au-Prince, Haiti roads and telecommunications Telephone: 2512-3724/ 2512/3725 hampered by the generalised lack of Fax: 2246-9756 electricity. These factors, in addition Email: [email protected], Sheahaiti@ to the adverse weather conditions, hotmail.com are among the reasons for the low Gilles Cavaletto, Education level of participation in the final Programme Officer assessments. The second stage, UNESCO Port-au-Prince which focuses on vocational training, 19 Musseau, Delmas 60 began in 2009 and has afforded an Telephone: 29400460 opportunity to address these weak- Email: [email protected] nesses. Measures here have included the recruitment within the region of two training supervisors and two local agronomists. The project coordination team has also arranged for additional (catch-up) learning and assessment sessions scheduled for 2009 and 2010 so that as many participants as possible can take part in the vocational training stage that is already under way.
LESSONS LEARNED
The main lesson to be learned from this pilot project is that the link between literacy training and the job market in Haiti needs to be strengthened, especially through the creation of job opportunities in the areas of intervention or vocational training as a means of achieving literacy. In a country like Haiti that is constantly striving towards stability, literacy appears to be one of the pillars on which economic and social development must be built.
SOURCES
■■ National Report on the Republic of Haiti: Tendances récentes et situa- tion actuelle de l’éducation et de la formation des adultes ■■ Report by the Director-General on cooperation with Haiti ■■ Le Nouvelliste (newspaper), 14 July 2008: Alphabétisation: Entre l’alpha et l’oméga ■■ Alter Presse, 10 September 2009: Haïti: l’alphabétisation peine a tracer ses lettres de noblesse
CONTACT
Eugène Gélardy, Director of Planning at the Department of the Secretary of State for Literacy Delmas 29, angles Rue samba et 104
PERU
The Youth and Adult Literacy and Basic Education Programme (PAEBA)
Implementing Organization Context and Background 13.1% receive no formal education Ministry of Education, Peru whatsoever. In addition, 12.1 % of With around 29 million inhabitants, the total adult population is illiterate. Language of Instruction Peru is one of the most populous The gender disparity with regards Spanish and multi-ethnic states in South to literacy rates is very high, with America. Unlike other developing illiteracy rates of 6.3% and 17.5% for Funding countries, as of 2007 approximately adult males and females, respectively. Spanish Agency for International 76% and 24% of Peruvians lived in Cooperation for Development urban and rural areas, respectively. High rates of adult illiteracy are partly (AECID) and the Government of Peru The Peruvian economy is diversified a result of poverty, which limits poor with, the service sector accounting people’s access to education. The Date of Inception for 53% of its GDP, followed by the traditional system of emphasising 2003 manufacturing industry (34.8%), investment in formal education at the extractive industries (15%) and the expense of adult literacy and agriculture (7%). In addition, the education programmes has, however, OVERVIEW Peruvian economy depends to a large worsened the situation. Moreover, extent on remittances and export existing adult literacy programmes PAEBA is a regional youth and adult trade revenues. have failed to attract the adult literacy and education initiative estab- population because they have not lished in 1992 and implemented with However, despite experiencing stable adequately addressed their practical technical and financial support from economic growth in recent years, in- needs and expectations. It was not the Spanish Agency for International vestment in the social services sector until recently that the government’s Cooperation for Development has been restricted and, as a result, Master Plan for Literacy 2002–2012 (AECID). The programme was poverty and social deprivation are still made concerted efforts to provide initiated at the Summit of Latin endemic, particularly in marginalised sustainable educational opportunities American Governments in order to rural and urban communities. Recent for all and placed a special emphasis address the challenges of youth and studies estimate that about 40% of on the marginalised population in adult illiteracy and limited access to the population of Peru lives below the rural and urban areas. PAEBA-Peru education in the region. The ultimate poverty threshold, 14% of whom live was instituted in 2003 to complement goal is to integrate non-formal youth in extreme poverty (i.e. lives on less these efforts. and adult education into the national than USD 1 per day). This by exten- educational systems of participating sion suggests that almost half of the countries. entire population has limited access PAEBA-PERU PROGRAMME to basic social services such as health, To date, the programme has been secure livelihoods and education. PAEBA-Peru is a non-formal youth implemented in six Latin American The situation has been exacerbated and adult literacy and education countries: El Salvador (1993-1998), by increasing rates of rural to urban programme which primarily endeav- Honduras (since 1996) Nicaragua migration which have, on the one ours to combat illiteracy, poverty and (1997-2000); Paraguay (2000); the hand, deprived the rural areas of under-development among socially Dominican Republic (1993), and agricultural labour and, on the other, marginalised Peruvian communities Peru. The latest of the six, PAEBA- increased the demand on the limited through the provision of basic and Peru, was introduced in 2003, and social services in urban areas. functional literacy skills training. officially carries the name Project for The programme therefore combines Institutional Strengthening of the The lack of educational opportunities literacy and numeracy learning with Ministry of Education of Peru (in the for socially marginalised communities vocational skills training and also of- Area of Adult Education). PAEBA-Peru is a clear indicator of the disparity fers learners opportunities to transfer endeavours to promote access to between economic growth and social to the formal educational system. education for youth and adults in well-being. Although Peru offers free The ultimate goal is to institutionalise order to combat illiteracy among the and compulsory pre-primary, primary adult learning in Peru. PAEBA-Peru marginalised communities. and secondary education (i.e. up to employs innovative training methods 16 years), only 42.5% of the poor that include ICTs (through mobile complete primary education, while phones) and e-learning, thus enabling Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development 105
people in remote villages to access district committees, supervisors and Training for all levels of programme education and training opportunities. facilitators. The central administration staff takes place at least once a year. includes members of the Spanish- Furthermore, facilitators meet once Peruvian Cooperation Association a week to share experiences and Aims and Objectives (AECI), and the Spanish and Peruvian improve their skills. Ministries of Education. The AECI is PAEBA-Peru endeavours to: responsible for financial planning, human resources development and Programme Components ■■ reduce illiteracy rates among youth management, as well as for legal and and Thematic Focus and adults by providing non-formal public representation. basic education and opportunities for PAEBA-Peru is a modular-based continuous learning and vocational The central team of education experts literacy and education programme. training; is responsible for designing and de- The modules were designed and ■■ strengthen educational institutions veloping the programme curriculum developed by PAEBA-Peru based on by means of technical support and and learning materials. In addition, learners’ previous knowledge and teacher training, thereby guarantee- it trains programme coordinators experiences as well as their needs ing the programme’s sustainability; and deals with public relations and and expectations. The curriculum ■■ support social development as communication between local PAEBA integrates both basic education and a means of alleviating poverty and projects, educational institutions and vocational training, thus offering establishing democratic practices, governmental education units. It also learners opportunities for accelerated especially in rural areas; monitors the implementation of the learning in order to attain primary, ■■ develop and edit adult education programme. The district committees secondary and vocational educa- learning materials; are responsible for all activities at the tional qualifications. The programme ■■ support the process of educational local level, such as hiring, training content is therefore broad and covers reform, with a particular emphasis and monitoring supervisors, dealing the following: on the development of legislative with infrastructural matters, enrolling frameworks and curricula for adult learners and assessing local circum- ■■ literacy and numeracy competen- education; and stances and beneficiaries’ learning cies; ■■ foster the involvement of public needs. ■■ communication skills; and private institutions and organiza- ■■ vocational skills training; tions in youth and adult education. The supervisors, all of whom are ■■ social studies (family relations, the experienced professionals in the adult environment and community devel- education sector, select and train the opment); Programme Administration facilitators, and monitor and evaluate ■■ health promotion and awareness; and Management the learning groups. Finally, the facil- and itators, who are generally education ■■ civic education (citizenship, rights The programme’s management professionals who receive additional and values, interculturalism and structure consists of a central training from PAEBA, oversee learning gender). administration, a central expert team, activities at the grassroots level. 106 Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development
Training is offered at three levels: 1) qualifications and thus paves the way Other innovative teaching strategies initial/basic, 2) intermediate and 3) for tertiary education. and approaches used by PAEBA advanced. There are a total of seven include: modules which form the basis for As demonstrated above, the pro- each of these levels of learning: gramme enables learners to complete The Aula Mentor System primary and secondary education The initial/basic level consists of two in a period of one and a half years. Aula Mentor is a distance learning consecutive modules. The modules Learners with little or no access to system for youth and adults learners. are taught over a six-month period formal education are thus able to Learners can enrol at any time of for a total of 120 learning hours or “catch up” through a programme that the year, and study anywhere they 10 learning hours per week. During is tailored to their specific needs and want, according to their level of skills this ‘formative’ level, unlike the other expectations. and learning needs. Most learners levels, learners are obliged to study in can afford the enrolment fees of 20 groups with the help of a trained fa- PEN per month (approx. USD 6) and cilitator. The modules offer training in Teaching: Learning are afforded an added incentive in reading and writing (communication Approaches and Methods that they will be refunded 50% of skills); numeracy (logical and mathe- their enrolment fees once they have matical skills), personal development PAEBA uses a range of innovative successfully completed the course. and social studies. teaching approaches and learning Furthermore, learners are free to materials which are designed to choose the course that best suits The intermediate level has two nurture independent learning and their needs from a range of pro- modules which progressively develop critical thinking among learners. As a gramme courses that include business and reinforce the themes and skills rule, learning is based on integrated entrepreneurship, ICT skills, education developed during the initial/basic-lev- and thematic modules (workbooks) and health. After enrolling in the el course. The modules are taught for learner and teaching manuals programme, learners receive ongoing over six months and last approximate- for facilitators. Learners’ workbooks mentorship from trained tutors. ly 270 learning hours, after which are designed to facilitate progressive learners sit an examination and are individual and group learning with To address the challenges arising awarded primary school qualifications methodological assistance from from limited access to ICTs, especially (i.e. the same qualifications as those trained facilitators, either through the Internet, PAEBA has opened Aula received by learners attending formal classroom-based instruction or Mentor Centres (AMC) in various primary school). e-learning (i.e. the internet, e-mail locations. The AMCs are equipped and teleconferences). In addition, with computers, technical resources The advanced level has three PAEBA has opened two daycare and didactic materials, and are open modules, which are taught over centres to enable women with young to anyone interested in learning. period of six months and comprise children to attend classes. The strate- They also serve as community-based 300 study hours. The advanced level gy has proved to be very popular with PAEBA learning centres where learn- offers graduates secondary education women and plans are underway to ers meet their programme tutors and establish more daycare centres. supervisors. Since 2004, PAEBA-Peru Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development 107
has established five AMCs, and other PROGRAMME IMPACT Challenges town councils such as Lima have AND CHALLENGES expressed an interest in adopting The programme’s centralised the AMCs system to enhance their organizational structure has ham- existing educational services. Impact and Achievements pered its progress due to excessive bureaucracy and inefficient communi- The Aulas Móviles System The programme has had life-changing cation. In addition, the size and cost impacts on learners and their families. of this structure has deprived learners Since vocational skills cannot be Since its inception, it has reported a of valuable resources. As a result, taught or learned effectively using number of key achievements: efforts are currently underway to the distance or online approach, decentralise the administration of the PAEBA introduced a system of mobile By 2007, five years since its inception, programme. classrooms (Aulas Móviles), whereby more than 85,000 learners had a professional team of peripatetic attended the PAEBA programme, When PAEBA was first established in facilitators equipped with training of whom 70% completed the initial Peru, the intention was to transfer materials visit learners living in distant and intermediate levels. Of the 1,500 responsibility for implementing the areas. For periods of two months who enrolled in the advanced level, programme progressively to the at a time, facilitators offer training 40% received a secondary school Peruvian Ministry of Education; workshops to learners in a range leaving certificate from the Ministry however, the lack of institutional of subjects including community of Education. capacities has delayed this process. development, water and sanitation, hairdressing and early childhood The vocational training offered The programme has attracted limited education. through the mobile classroom system funding. As a result, it has failed has benefited 18,811 learners, with to attract competent professionals The PAEBA system as a whole view a completion/graduation rate of 74.2 or to procure adequate resources. learning not only as the acquisition %. Moreover, it has also failed to train of knowledge, but also – and most sufficient facilitators to carry out the importantly – as a comprehensive The Aula Mentor learning centres programme’s activities. process of human and social devel- have catered for more than 949 opment during which learners gain students, of whom around 650 By and large, the curriculum and necessary skills, attitudes and values. (68.5%) completed their courses. learning materials have been The role of the facilitator is essentially designed, developed and validated to guide this holistic process. Thus, in Furthermore, PAEBA-Peru has in urban environments with little practice, adult learning endeavours published a range of didactic communication with participants in to empower learners with life skills materials for adult learners as well rural areas. Consequently, both the that enable them to improve their as technical manuals for facilitators. curriculum and teaching methodolo- living standards and participate It has also contributed towards the gies have failed to meet the needs of actively in the development of their institutionalisation of youth and adult rural learners. communities. learning in Peru. 108 Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development
LESSONS LEARNED Programme Jorge Basadre 460 San Isidro – Lima As recommended by evaluation Peru reports, learners must be included Tel.: +11 511 202 7000 in the planning and development of E-mail: francisco.gutierrez@aecid. the programme so that their needs pe / [email protected] / and expectations are addressed and [email protected] the sustainability of the programme guaranteed.
The concept of mobile classrooms is an innovative approach to adult learning that brings educational opportunities to the people, thus en- abling learners in remote and poorly resourced communities to access education and training. For example, learners who may have been discour- aged from attending literacy classes due to a lack of learning centres in the area can now easily attend mobile classes. Furthermore, mobile classes can easily be scheduled to fit in with the agricultural seasons. However, due to the higher cost of implement- ing mobile classrooms, this strategy requires both sufficient funding and the cooperation of all those involved in community development activities.
SUSTAINABILITY
The demand for literacy and educa- tion (including vocational training) programmes is still very high in Peru. Moreover, many people who have had limited access to effective education and training are in need of accelerated learning opportunities such as those provided by PEABA- Peru. However, following the end of the first and second phases in December 2008, the programme was discontinued due to lack of interest on the part of the Peruvian Ministry of Education.
SOURCES
■■ Maria Clara Di Pierro, 2008, Youth and Adult Education in Latin Amer- ica and the Caribbean: The Recent Trajectory ■■ Regina Cortina and María Teresa Sánchez, 2007, Spanish Bilateral Initi- atives for Education in Latin America
CONTACT
Francisco Jesús Gutiérrez Soto Director of the PAEBA-Peru 109
URUGUAY
Education Centres for Training and Production (CECAP)
Implementing Organization hensive educational strategy. While reduce social inequality and follow Ministry for Education in 2005 there were only two CECAPs up on the achievements of the and Culture (MEC) (Montevideo and Rivera), in 2010, National Social Emergency Plan, are the PNET–CECAP programme was given priority for places at the centre. Language of Instruction running in ten centres across Uruguay The programme aims to address Spanish covering nine different states and the educational needs of the target offering education to over 1,300 population in a rather flexible and Date of Inception young people who were not enrolled comprehensive manner and is guided 2005– in the formal education system. by the following main objectives: Two additional centres will soon be set up. This strategy of extending ■■ To develop a comprehensive edu- CONTEXT AND geographical coverage was guided cational strategy; BACKGROUND by a partnership approach with the ■■ To promote social inclusion; local (departmental) governments ■■ To promote citizen participation; Difficult economic circumstances in which included the promotion of the ■■ To support the reinsertion of 2002 left Uruguay with high poverty relevant curricular adaptations. Rather young people into the formal educa- incidence rates. The entrance of a than “constructing” new buildings, tion system; new government in 2005 led the extension was inspired by the idea ■■ To offer training for employment; way to the formation of a National of utilising existing facilities in the ■■ To encourage students to try out Social Emergency Plan (PANES) which territory on condition that they were and experience new activities whilst aimed to aid the citizens in situations located in central areas which were encouraging them to make them- of extreme poverty. Alongside the easy to access by marginalised pop- selves heard and demonstrate their Plan, the Ministry of Education and ulations. The pedagogical rationale potential as an individual. Culture (MEC) designed the National behind this idea was that the young Education and Work Programme people had to be mobile within the (PNET) to address the needs of young community to access the learning PROGRAMME people in difficult socio-economic opportunity evenly distributed around IMPLEMENTATION circumstances, who are out of work the country. and have not achieved the basic Before being assigned a place on the level of education. Expanding on the The programme attempts to provide programme, prospective students are models of two Education Centres the students with basic education, interviewed in order to assess their for Production and Training (CECAP) artistic skills and vocational experi- willingness to participate actively in a constructed in the capital city, ence through a variety of workshops team, to join in with activities encour- Montevideo, in 1981 and in Rivera in and classes in order to guide the aging artistic development, cultural 1993, the programme aims to rejuve- participants back to formal education skills and citizenship and to find out nate the educational methodology of whilst supporting their personal about their existing plans to return to the existing centres and build further development. the formal education system. After informal education centres to extend the selection process has taken place, its reach across the country. groups of between 15 to 20 students Programme Aims are formed, depending on the size of Where formerly the objective had and Objectives the centre. been to help young people return to work, the focus of the new The CECAP programme is directed The curriculum is structured into programme has been on the pro- towards young people between semesters with each learner able to gressive integration of young people the ages of 15 and 20, who have complete up to four semesters at the into the world of employment, dropped out of the formal education centre. Aiming to offer a wide-rang- going beyond a narrow definition of system but have not managed to ing syllabus, the programme focuses employment to explore the ins and gain employment, have an incom- on six areas of education which outs of working life. The programme plete basic education and have a complement each other, interact aims at reshaping how the world of low socio-economic background. and expand into a broad spectrum employment features in the lives of Members of families receiving grants of educational settings (classrooms, young people by means of a compre- as part of the Equality Plan, a plan to workshops, walks, outings, talks, 110 Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development etc.). The six subjects include basic which training course they wish discipline (posing limits, proposing skills, vocational training, classes to complete during their third and sanctions, setting rules); mediating covering aspects of work and fourth semesters. The training course between the different resources, employment, artistic and cultural is carried out in cooperation with the offers and services available and the expression workshops, ICT and Vocational University of Uruguay. To students; teaching; and opening up physical education and sport. complement the workshops, students spaces to encourage the students to can engage in an internship for a participate, use their initiative and Students commit up to 30 hours maximum of one semester in order take the lead. per week to classes at the centre, to obtain more substantial work organised into 6 study hours per experience to support their future Two of the key features of the CECAP day from Monday to Friday. The ICT development. programme are its flexibility and the classes consist of activities which integrated nature of the curriculum. build on literacy skills such as writing Each week, a session is set aside The students receive a more person- e-mails, using a word processor, for group work, during which the alised, rather than authoritarian, style accessing internet search engines, students work on their self-esteem of education and the teachers are en- writing a blog and creating a web and communication skills, gain couraged to foster a learning environ- page. In the first two semesters, the knowledge of their rights and the ment which accommodates such an students take basic skills classes for rules of the centre, analyse and approach. Given that not all students four hours per week, whereas in the resolve conflicts within the group can participate for thirty hours each final two semesters this weekly total and evaluate the activities in which week due to having part-time jobs or is reduced to two hours. The classes they have participated. Through the family responsibilities, the flexibility at cover a range of subjects, including strong group ties and communication CECAP appeals to students who were maths, ICT, languages and sciences, skills promoted during the course, the unable to cope with the strict nature and relate directly to the content of students explore how their individual of the formal education system. In the workshops which the students strengths can complement those of the case of students with additional have opted for in order to captivate the people around them and they commitments, the teachers at CECAP their interest further. Secondary can cooperate to form a collective are adaptable and understanding, school teachers are employed to advantage, helping the group to accommodating for the exceptional lead the classes and also employ overcome challenges and difficulties. circumstances which characterise the flexible educational approach The group sessions are presided over the students’ lives and which may which is characteristic of the centre, by a supervisory teacher whose role not necessarily be compatible with turning to the students’ interests and it is to promote interaction and guide standard educational strategies. suggestions as a source for learning the students through a range of Exemplifying the teachers’ involve- topics. If the students wish to pursue topics and modes of discussion. ment and flexibility, it is common for a certificate to confirm that they have a teacher or workshop instructor at achieved the official level of primary The number and type of teachers the centres to try to reach students or basic education (three years of who are involved in running each by telephone if they are absent. secondary school), they are able to sit centre change depending on its size Undoubtedly, rules and limits must be an exam to obtain this qualification and capacity. However, the following laid down to ensure the effectiveness whilst attending the programme. team of educators are needed to of the programme. The task of setting support one group of students going these rules is far from easy; however, Having been isolated from the through the four semesters of the the decisions made in the centres world of employment due to a lack programme: two supervisory teach- take the individual characteristics of of qualifications, the students are ers, a basic skills teacher, a vocational each student’s life into consideration. also offered the chance to try out instructor, a computer technician, a new activities, allowing them to physical education/sports teacher, Participation and social engagement develop skills and discover talents three trial workshop instructors for are encouraged in all areas of the which they were not aware they professional training, an art teacher programme, be that the communal had. The vocational workshops and two art workshop instructors. lunch or the workshops themselves; which are available in the first two The supervisory teachers form a every scene turns into an area in semesters ensure that the students special element of the team, accom- which the students can assert them- can get a taster of the different panying the students throughout the selves, contradict one another and, areas in which they can broaden programme, organising the group more generally, learn to understand their skills and pursue employment. activities and holding one-to-one themselves better as part of the Some of the workshops which have meetings to provide a sufficient level typical process of growing up. Each been offered in the past cover the of support to the students. The main student takes part in a wide variety following vocational skills: cooking, tasks of the supervisory teachers of activities and workshops in order construction, health and sanitation, include establishing and sustaining to open their eyes to new possibilities dressmaking, carpentry, agriculture, an educational relationship with and interests which had previously hairdressing, beauty, percussion, the students; collecting information seemed inaccessible. Taking this into visual arts and drama. In the first and on the students (identifying their edu- consideration, the comprehensive second semesters, the vocational cational needs, selecting educational nature of the programme can be workshops and group sessions are content of social value, planning said to transcend a merely academic designed to help the students decide and evaluating); maintaining group and vocationally focussed curriculum Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development 111 to accommodate a broader field of which may occur during both the to take charge of their lives and learning directed at the development workshops and the internships. pursue further qualifications. of the human being as a whole. In response to the question about In 2008, a law was passed requiring Monitoring and Evaluation what the CECAP programme had all education centres to have a meant to him, one 16-year-old Participatory Board, consisting of Monitoring of the programme is un- student – in his third semester and parents, teachers, pupils, members of dertaken on an ongoing basis using participating in a construction work- the community and representatives the organisational structures of the shop – explained: “Making friends; from the authorities. These have programme. A major external eval- participating; learning many new since been introduced into the CECAP uation was conducted to cover the things; being myself. And I realised programme and allow students, implementation of the programme in that I can move forward with my life.” parents, teachers and neighbours several CECAPs (Montevideo, Rivera be involved in decisions on such and Treinta y Tres) during the period Offering the students the chance issues as the direction and teaching of 2006 to 2008. The evaluation to sit their basic education exam staff in the centre, the assignation included interviews with 76 educators has resulted in astounding success of resources, the establishment of and was an important learning with a pass rate of 98% for students agreements with other organisations, process that helped to provide who have taken classes and sat their and renovation and building work orientation to the further programme exams at the centres. The integrated in the centre. Board meetings are planning. The results of this external learning approach is embraced during held in order to involve the local evaluation were published in 2009. the classes prior to the exam and the community, parents and students in high pass rate demonstrates how the discussion and decision-making this alternative teaching strategy has of the centres. Students are elected IMPACT AND helped the students to learn more by their colleagues in a secret ballot ACHIEVEMENTS successfully. to represent the views of the student body at the meeting. The programme has gained its most The election of student representa- prominent achievements in the areas tives has been encouraged in order of encouraging citizen participation, to allow students to assume their role Programme Funding facilitating social inclusion and fully as principal actors in the pro- offering a comprehensive educational gramme and accept more responsi- Although the programme runs programme. Offering the students bility in the community. In September mainly on government provided the opportunity to develop artistic, 2009, student representatives from funds, donations and agreements cultural and vocational skills through every CECAP in the country convened with companies have supported the workshops creates an area in which for the first time, an indicator of the acquisition of educational resources their chances of future employment evolution of this style of teaching and and internship placements for the can be improved and social move- reflecting the standing of students students. In 2011, a pilot project ment can occur. In a survey of the involved in the programme. involving recycled paper was agreed staff, the teachers revealed that, from upon with the national company their perspective, the students had At the CECAP in Montevideo, DUCSA to set up a new workshop in shown evident increases in self-es- order and discipline is maintained which the students will be responsi- teem throughout the course. Having through the teaching staff and ble for manufacturing the paper for been very reserved at the beginning security personnel are not employed. the cover of the company’s annual of the programme with their heads Any insupportable behaviour or report. continuously down looking at the disorderly conduct results in the floor, the students progressed as time student concerned facing the threat The students are supported financially went on to show frequent smiles and of suspension from the centre. The through the provision of breakfast engagement in dialogue. effectiveness of the personalised and lunch at the centre, by having approach has been heralded as a sign access to social benefits, such as By questioning the students’ of the success of the centre’s internal a social welfare card and a family expectations and beliefs concerning management and coordination, allowance, and through the receipt education and work, the CECAP as well as supporting the informal of a grant. At the beginning of 2011, programme succeeds in redefining nature of the teacher-student the grant provided to each student the world for young people and relationships. amounted to $600 Uruguayan pesos opens up opportunities which they per month, averaging around USD 30. had previously not considered to Designed to encourage the students be accessible. Under the close and LESSONS LEARNED to stay on their courses, the grant is responsive guidance of the super- stopped if they fail to attend classes visory teachers, the route of each The majority of the students and then can be restarted on their student during the four semesters of explained that they left secondary return. The students are insured the programme resembles a steady education because they had to work through the Insurance Bank of the path to empowerment and personal and failed the year due to absences. State (BSE) against any accident development which allows students In the same light, the importance of flexibility in the CECAP methodology 112 Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development has become more and more evident a successful reintegration into the be used to face typical, problematic as the programme has developed. formal education system. situations, such as drug use, abuse, Despite solving organisational ill-treatment, etc. which are at pres- challenges stemming from the The literacy difficulties, demonstrated ent dealt with in a manner lacking the individual needs of the students, the by many of the students, cannot necessary professionalism. teachers need to be flexible on a be dealt with sufficiently in the few day-to-day basis to tackle unforeseen hours of basic skills classes which developments, such as the case the students receive as part of the SUSTAINABILITY of the last minute race to collect programme. Such difficulties can a student without enough money hinder the successful transferral of The success and attraction of the cen- for a bus in order to bring him to a skills and learning in the other areas tres have led to an increase in student drama production in which he was of the programme. enrolment (in 2011, the centre in La participating. Paz will accept 30 students more than In addition to educating the students in 2010). To accommodate high levels Even though many students have and developing their skills, there still of interest and ensure maximum ac- shown difficulties understanding remains a need to eliminate discrim- cessibility to the programme through- basic educational skills, achievements ination towards the CECAP students out Uruguay, additional centres have have been made very quickly when in other educational institutions. been established gradually over the the skills were linked to a concrete, Restricting their progress, prejudices last few years and another centre is tangible activity. against the students form an obstacle currently being developed. Since the to their pursuit of a path of continued CECAP programme can be found in The special relationship developed learning after the programme. the Equality Plan, it is to be expected between the students and the Despite completing the programme, that more centres will continue to be teachers at the CECAP can also be technical schools have been reported opened across Uruguay. the source of difficulties as well as to be unwelcoming to CECAP leavers success, particularly when the time due to rivalries and institutional After completing the course, the comes for the students to leave the distrust. Given that there are many students can decide whether they centre. To overcome the feeling of students that are not suited to the wish to continue with their secondary loss or abandonment that some stu- formal secondary education system, education or pursue professional dents and teachers may feel, several particularly its rigidness and academic technical courses at the UTU centres have embarked on end-of- environment, it would be useful for (Vocational University of Uruguay). year projects to address the students’ the students’ achievements at CECAP Financial support in the form of a departure from an educational and to be officially recognised even if they grant is offered to students who positive perspective. In one centre, do not result in the student returning decide to continue with their high a project titled “Leaving prints” to formal education. school education, providing a finan- engaged the students in activities cial incentive for them to continue which explored the topic of leaving, The diversity of the teaching team studying. Though CECAP aims to led to discussion on how the students presents an obstacle since the provide a well-rounded education will be remembered and encouraged activities offered differ according to for the students, empowering and positive thoughts associated with the current teaching staff contracted motivating them to pursue their own their departure. to work at a particular centre. As a educational interests, the length of result, there are differences between the programme has been criticised the activities undertaken by students as not being long enough to ensure CHALLENGES in the CECAP in one area to those that a sustainable reinsertion into the of a CECAP in another region. For formal education system is successful- The two main aims of the programme example, the special course through ly achieved. which are the most challenging to which students can train for and achieve are helping the students to subsequently sit an exam confirming return to the formal education system their completion of basic education CONTACT and training them for the working is only available in the centres in world. There are many internal and Montevideo since 2006 and Rivera Jorge Camors external factors which make these since 2008. Variances, such as this Director of Non Formal Education objectives difficult to achieve: one, obstruct the establishment of a Ministerio de Educación y Cultura minimum common language upon Reconquista 535, The maximum duration of the which to support the activities on a 11100 Montevideo, programme is four terms, but in the national level. Uruguay. process of interviewing the teachers, Email: [email protected] it was learned that many of the Due to the range of problems which Isabel Alende Coordinator of PNET – students would benefit from a longer the teachers have to deal with at the CECAP Email: [email protected] time period in order to make the centre, there is a call for a multidis- most of the specialised education ciplinary team which could ease the which CECAP offers and to give resolution of complex difficulties the students the best chances for faced by the students in the centre. Such clear channels of support would