Good Practices in Literacy and NFE Programmes - Literacyportal.net

volunteer campaign. Classes were organized and attended mostly by women, as the men wereaway fishing, which led to the achievement of a high literacy rate for women. At present,however, the programme is more geared towards the attainment of functional literacy. The Centre forContinuing Education is making efforts to provide literacy materials and conduct regular functional(post) literacy classes. Despite this, the lack of reading materials suitable for neo-literates isconsidered to be a real hindrance in meeting the goals of the National EFA Action Plan.Presently, an atoll education centre (AEC) on each atoll is supposed to provide both formal andnon-formal education. However, the AECs have failed to serve their intended purpose, and theatolls did not make use of the AEC’s contribution to the development, administration andsupervision of education adequately, if at all. To remedy this situation, CERCs were establishedin order to carry out continuing education activities.Special & Innovative FeaturesThese include the implementation of the programme through a community-based volunteercampaign; a high female participation rate due to the absence of men due to their engagement inmaritime economic activity; regularity of classes, and educational programmes with a content wasbased on literacy training being widely telecast.Challenges & ProblemsThe structure and organizational arrangements of the CERCs have not been very successful, inpart because the head teachers of the AECs are very involved in the day-to-day management offormal education and are thus unable to pay sufficient attention to the development of NFEprogrammes. The atoll community educators were found to lack sufficient motivation to promotecommunity education. As result, the resource centres (some of which had in fact started upactivities) became gradually inactive and eventually defunct. Other problems identified included:the low level of public interest demonstrated; and few, largely irrelevant reading materials.Potential for SustainabilityThe Centre for Continuing Education is trying to promote the use of these Centres by the islandcommunity, through providing reading materials and via creating opportunities for learners to gaindifferent (income generating) skills through the centres.Case Study 9: The Community Learning Centre Model, MyanmarBackground ContextCLCs were first introduced in Myanmar in 1994, under a UNESCO project, with a total of 71centres in 11 townships, in three areas and over three phases having been established by theend of the programme. Coverage included 83 villages and 80,000 potential participants. Theobjectives of the programme were to improve access to primary education for all; and promotequality in the learning process of both formal and non-formal basic education. Specific objectivesincluded: the provision of non-formal, continuing education and skills training programmes thatresponded to needs identified by the targeted communities themselves; provision of access toinformation in fields of expressed interest to the community; strengthening the capacities ofcommunities to themselves carry out education programmes that lead to an improvement in theirquality of life; as well as contributing to poverty alleviation.The CLCs were created at the initiative of communities themselves, with the assistance from theUNESCO education project. CLCs were mainly made functional through efforts of the CLC ManagementCommittee (CLC MC) and the good will of a few very dedicated volunteers. The Village Literacy Trainers21