Assessment Of CLC In Nepal
Presented ByGopal Prasad Bhattarai
Deputy Director
Non Formal Education Center
Ministry of Education, Kathmandu
August 31, 2011
Historical Context
●Traditional institutions such as Dharmashalas,
Pathashalas, Trusts, Gombas, Mothershas existed
in the past that used to serve what modern CLCs
today serve in the community.
●Preached religious/ spiritual knowledge; social
norms, values and culture; transfer indigenous
knowledge and skill from one generation to
another.
● served as a venue for mediating and resolving
disputes and problems emerged at community.
● served as a platform for discussing individual
concerns.
Evolution of CLCs in Nepal
 During mid 70s ERDP first introduced the
concept of basic literacy, women literacy, and
alternative mode of learning through creating
community centres for community development
in the rural areas which can be considered CLCs
in modern term.
 The concept of CLCs was further institutionalized
within BPEP II during 1999-2002.And UNESCO
started backstopping it to accommodate the
concept .
 Three CLCs were established initially as pilot
in1998.
Expansion of CLCs
Learned from the past experiences, GOV
decided to establish and expand CLCs in
gradual basis since the Tenth Plan Period
2002-2007, initially one in each constituency.
Number of CLCs reached 206 by 2003,631 by
2008, 1831 by 2011 under the initiative of
government in addition to NGO supported 10.
Assessment of CLCs
 Along with the expansion of CLCs, assessment of them
has been regarded an important activity in order to
accelerate their effective functioning, identify their
needs, and to evaluate their capability for service
delivery.
 CLCs are assessed in terms of the activities being
carried out, services being delivered to the community,
physical and financial resources mobilized, through
regular monitoring from respective DEOs, carrying out
field visit annually from NFEC, and studies
commissioned periodically in project approach.
Assessment of CLCs:
Through regular monitoring
 Regular monitoring is carried out by Resource
Persons (RPs), School Supervisors (SSs) and
other personnel through respective DEOs.
 Evaluation is done in terms of the number of
programs undertaken, their involvement in
executing literacy classes, formation and
mobilizing income generation groups, and the
services they provide to the community.
 Training and orientation are provided to CLC
members for effective functioning.
Assessment of CLCs:
Through annual observation
 An observation team, comprising NFEC personnel,
selected CLC members, school supervisors from
selected districts, is formed by NFEC annually to visit
selected CLCs.
 CLCs to visit are selected making them representative
of the location in terms geographical region (Mountain,
Hill and Terai) and their setting (rural and urban).
 Team visits each selected CLC and observe CLC
activities to obtain detail information on activities and
programs carried out, services being delivered through
document study, interaction with personnel and
community members.
Assessment of CLCs:
Through annual observation Cont.
Based on the report of the team, NFEC
rewards the best performing some CLCs (3to
6, depending upon the budget provided) with
monetary prizes and certificates.
The observation visit provides exposure to CLC
members on other CLC activities and offer an
opportunity to share experiences for
evaluating of their own too.
Assessment of CLCs:
Through annual observation Cont.
In FY 2010/11, altogether ten CLCs were visited by the team
that reported:
a. CLCs were found to have been running various programs
of diverse natures that include income generation in
groups, vocational skill training, training on computer use,
literacy classes, open schooling, involvement of groups in
collective farming etc.
b. Out of ten, 6 CLCs were found running more than ten
programs: Basic literacy, post literacy, income generation
schemes, open schooling, training on computer use,
vocational skill training, credit and saving schemes,
cooperatives, promotion of local enterprises collectively,
ECD etc.
Assessment of CLCs:
Through annual observation Cont.
c. Two CLCs were found running only two
programs literacy and income generation
schemes.
d. The rest two were found running more than four
programs: literacy, community mobilization for
promoting indigenous local culture, income
generation schemes, saving and credit schemes.
e. Four of them were found providing ICT related
service to community in addition to other
program
CLC assessment:
Through commissioned study
Recently in 2011, an independent study on CLC
assessment has been carried out with the
assistance of UNESCO Kathmandu.
CLC assessment:
Through commissioned study
Objectives of the study ;
I.
Review education policy environment with particular focus on the
functioning and effectiveness of CLCs
II. Assess management capacity of CLCs in understanding various
programs for meeting the goals of EFA within the overall framework
of decentralization of education in Nepal
III. Assess capacity development needs of CLCs to implement NFE
programs including literacy as a foundation of lifelong learning
IV. Identify best practices/ success stories of existing CLCs with focus
on policy, management and capacity development, and make
recommendation for inclusive national policy of decentralization,
clarifying the government’s role and contribution to CLCs, including
financial, administrative and legal frame works.
Main Findings
Reported programs carried out by CLCs
I. Adult Literacy program
II. Women Literacy I
III. Women Literacy II
IV. Flexible Schooling
V. Open Schools
VI. Adult non formal schools
VII.Disaster program
Findings
Reported Services delivered through CLCs;
I. Income generation activities,
II. Saving and credit Schemes
III. ECD program
IV. Community library and learning resources
center operation
V. Community development programs
VI. Community services on health, farmer’s
education, environment protection, ICT services
etc.
Findings
Assessment of the programs;
There has been significant quantitative growth of CLCs in
recent years;
 However, majority fail to offer quality programs and
services
(only 45% surveyed running at least or more programs)
 It was reported that Need assessment was carried out by
involving the community prior to developing CLC programs
 CLCs (that are active in running various programs) have
produced fairly positive results in all of the programs.
 Successful CLCs add more programs and attracted more
participants each year
Findings
Assessment of the programs
contd...
Income generation and adult literacy programs.
are most popular programs of CLCs
About 74% (n=334)respondents were fairly
satisfied or satisfied from CLC programs and
also thought that CLC has helped build a
literate environment
Learning materials were made available as per
the number of program participants in most of
the CLCs by NFEC through DEO’s office
Findings
Governance, management and financing;
a. It was found that CLCs having frequent interaction and
active involvement of community people had:
1. more programs in operation,
2. were able to generate additional resources, and
3. could extend networking with service delivery and support
agencies.
b. Leader’s initiation and commitment was found crucial
energizer for the effective performance of CLC
(e.g.Shikharapur CLC)
c. Imbalanced and under-represented composition of the
management body
Findings
contd…
Governance,management and financing;
d. CLC stakeholders were found informed about
accountability , but in reality it was missing
e. More than half of the CLCs surveyed, relied solely on
the government contribution without generating
additional funds /alternative financial resources
f. CLCs that followed NFEC guideline to receive CLC quota
fall in this category
g. Additional funds raised by well performing CLCs were
used mainly for the development of physical facilities
or for supporting income generation activities
Findings
contd…
Governance, management and financing;
h. Constraints faced by Management Committee
and that restrained growth were reported as:
i. Restrictive guidelines, top-down managerial
control, inadequate resources, focus on
procedure rather than results. Poor
coordination between district and central level,
weak legal foundation, absence of elected
representatives in local bodies.
Findings
contd…
Governance,management and financing;
j. Highly preferred quality indicators of CLC; based on
which majority rated their CLC as “average” were:
• visioning and long-term plan,
• presence of active management committee,
• better organization and management of CLC programs
and activities,
• involvement of community,
• increased literacy level of participants, and
• financial sustainability
Findings
Gender equity and inclusiveness;
 The establishment of CLCs in most cases emanate
from literacy classes targeted to women.
 Women participation in literacy programs opened up
space for them in in IG activities.
 Disseminating and widely circulating potential benefits
of CLCs, meeting with community people and door to
door visits were some crucial initiatives to make CLCs
inclusive and gender friendly.
 Janajatis were found outnumbering all the other groups
in income generation program, Brahmins and Chettris
in saving and credit program, and flexible school
program and Dalit participation was the lowest.
Findings
Networking and collaboration;
 Weak in networking and collaboration to acquire
additional funds apart from MOEs (from line
ministries and various organizations).
 Weak in convincing government and nongovernmental service providers showing
dependency on the government funding support
 However, highly successful CLCs (very few of
them)
 Forging collaboration and networking with
sectoral ministries and non-state actors.
Findings
Capacity development;
a. Developing Capacity of trainers and facilitators to motivate
learners and communicate with them effectively– felt very essential
b. Capacity development needs identified (for
SMC/Coordinators) were:
•
•
•
•
participatory planning,
community needs assessment,
monitoring, decision making, leadership,
community mobilization, networking and collaboration, resource
mobilization,
c. enterprise development, social audit, financial control and
record keeping.
Findings
Cont…
Capacity development;
d. Weaker organizational capacity to:
• Raise awareness and sensitize community about the
importance of CLCs and increase their participation
and involvement
• Use of ICT in the delivery of non-formal education
• Perodic monitoring and review
e. Urgent Institutional capacity development needsLegal mandates, facilitating and supporting set of
laws and liberal funding
Findings
Sustainability;
a. CLC’s sustainability is a critical concern that has to do
with:
•
•
•
•
•
insufficient government funding support
sustainable funding
human resource, capacity building initiatives
physical facility, availability and sufficiency
transparency, accountability and ownership
b. Programs that focused on learning contents and skills
relevant to meeting the individual learning needs,
useful to their daily living, contributory to increase
family income
-the determinants of sustainability
Findings
Best Practices;
a. Two types of trends observed across all the CLCs in regard
to best practices:
– Learning of literacy by women and disadvantaged group
members.
– The IG program including skills training in specific occupational
areas involving women and the disadvantaged people.
b. Both the programs
- Have raised the confidence of the participants, especially
disadvantaged women,
-learned to work together
- felt economically empowered.
Lessons learned
a. Determinants of ability enhancement in an individual
are:
• expanded knowledge base,
• acquisition and application of new and relevant skills and
• formation of enabling attitudes
b. The CLCs covered by the study do not reveal similar
stories; some have exemplary chronicles while some
have nothing worthy of citing.
c. The contribution of effective, energized and innovative
leadership
• most crucial for fostering better optimism among the
community people
Lessons learned
contd…
• The exemplary leaders with a vision have introduced
innovative programs and generated impressive results from
cohesive drives at community level. (“Let us do it here and
now” culture)
• Leadership, Team management, Coordinator’s capability
and commitment and financial resource flow are the factors
affecting the performance of CLCs.
• The quality and efficiency of leadership is basic and critical
in realizing success with respect to resource mobilization
• The current modality of funding to CLCs by the government
does not seem pragmatic.
• Cost sharing and performance based funding may increase
community’s involvement and ownerships
Lessons learned
contd…
• Elements for successful management and
operation of CLC;
• Resource generation
• mobilization of community,
• gaining continued funding supports from the
local bodies
• developing capacity at both individual and
organizational levels
• effective monitoring and evaluation of programs
Lessons learned
contd
Sustainability revolves around ;
• Financial resources (sustainable funding still a
barrier)
• Human resources (inadequate capacity
building initiatives)
• Physical resources (availability and
sufficiency a prominent concern)
• Transparency, accountability and ownership
(continues to be feeble).
Conclusions
In essence, CLC approach has well captured the
four pillars of education (as mentioned in Delors’
Report “Learning: The Treasure Within” )
• Learning to know – Literacy, Post-literacy programs
• Learning to do: Income generating skills
• Learning to be: awareness, participation, involvement,
self-initiative, gaining confidence, sense of ownership
(empowerment).
• Learning to live together: working in group, saving
and credit, mutual cooperation and support for
community development
Thank you