SUSTAINING COMMUNITY LEARNING CENTRE

OPERATIONBased on Some Experiences in Indonesia and

Philippines Compiled by UNESCO, and Personal Insights

By Jess C. Fernandez, PhDSEAMEO BIOTROP

Brief Overview of SEAMEO BIOTROP

• Established in February 1968 based in Bogor, Indonesia

• Vision: As a Leading Centre for enhancing and promoting the real value of tropical biology in Southeast Asia

• Mandates: Research and Development, Capacity Building, Information Exchange and Community Development

• Current Community-based Program: SEAMEO STAR Village Program

Some Contexts of CLCs in Indonesia & Philippines

Aspects Indonesia Philippines

Year started 1999 1984

Types Government, Private Company, Local community initiated

Government, NGO, People’s Organization, Private company initiated

Program Scope Functional Literacy, Early Childhood Care and EducationEducation EquivalencyVocational Skills TrainingSmall scale Entrepreneurship Sports and RecreationWomen’s EducationParentingEnvironment CareReligion Education

Functional LiteracyEarly Childhood Care and EducationVocational Skills TrainingSmall-scale Entrepreneurship Sustainable LivelihoodAdult EducationCulture and Heritage ProtectionLibraries & Reading CentersEnvironmental Protection

Number More than 9,000 (as of 2012) More than 45,000 (as of 2013)

Some Contexts of CLCs in Indonesia & Philippines

Aspects Indonesia Philippines

LegalFramework

• National Law No.20 (2003): Citizen’s Right for Education (Article 26 especially acknowledging CLC)

• Government Regulation No. 17 (2010): Guidance for CLC Operation

• Indonesian Qualifications Framework

• Department of Education’s Alternative Learning System (1984)

• House of Representatives Bill 1738: “21st Century Community Learning Center’s Act (2010)

• Executive Order No. 83: Philippine Qualifications Framework (2012)

Targets School drop outs, jobless, farmers, laborers, prisoners/ex-convicts, housewives, slum dwellers, street children, trafficking victims

• School drop outs (youth & adults), illiterate adults, laborers, jobless,mothers, senior citizens, indigenous people, inmates, farmers/ fisherfolks, urban poor, PWDs, professionals

Accrediting Body

National Accreditation Board of Non-formal Education

• Department of Education and Culture

Some Approaches in Sustaining CLCs in Indonesia• Having a transparent structure and management (e.g., in the

appointment of staff and instructors) to strengthen community participation

• Continuously assessing the community needs and introducing innovative and relevant programs and services to address the changing socioeconomic demands of members and use these programs and services to generate income for the CLC

• Soliciting learners’ contributions but ensuring that their expectations are matched by CLC’s programs and services

Some Approaches in Sustaining CLCs in Indonesia• Introducing more income-generating education programs that

meet product demands of the industry and private sector

• Expanding linkages and networks especially with NGOs and the private company who can act as mediator/promoter for the CLC

Some Approaches in Sustaining CLCs in the Philippines• Establishing a management information system, and a monitoring

and evaluation process to keep tract of progress and for promotion purposes

• Putting the operation and management of the CLC in the lowest political unit of the government and developing programs and services that are attuned to the demands of the voting population

• Ensuring that community ownership and external interventions are in synergistic relationship: recognizing needs together

Some Approaches in Sustaining CLCs in the Philippines• Developing and promoting support mechanisms (e.g.,

strengthening linkages and networks with relevant stakeholders, attending government–led activities, using print, broadcast, and social media) for better CLC visibility and credibility

• Practicing joint planning with relevant stakeholders for medium term programs and agreeing on counterpart funding

My Personal Views on Sustaining CLC Operation

• Explore the CSR funds of private companies

• Create internship/ volunteer programs for university students and professionals to implement CLC activities especially those who have their personal funds

• Tap and create CLC Donors’ Club of philanthropic individuals to contribute to CLC operation

• Develop good promotional materials of CLC success stories and maximize social media to promote them and other CLC activities

My Personal Views on Sustaining CLC Operation

• Create interesting events that would draw public attention and funding support

• Keep tract of and Join products and services exhibitions/fairs that are free to promote CLC activities and attract organization/individual funding support

• Enter into contracts with business companies to supply their product and labor demands

• Establish a pool of CLC training alumni and discuss the possibility of brokering their services

My Personal Views on Sustaining CLC Operation• Establish a “Sponsor-a-Friend” Program from among successful

CLC training alumni to enable other more people to benefit from CLC activities

• Tap international NGOs and other development organizations whose vision and mission are aligned with the CLC principles and goals

SEAMEO STAR Village Program

General Objective:

To develop a community-based sustainable development model that could reinforce the SEAMEO Community Involvement Program toward addressing the SEAMEO 7 Priorities and the Sustainable Development Agenda 2030 (Goal 4)

Specific Objectives:

• To empower the target village to achieve economic, social, and environmental developments in specific areas where the expertise, services, and products of the SEAMEO Centres in Indonesia are called for and where they could ably facilitate;

• To transform the target village into a community learning centre and be a model for other communities to learn from;

• To strengthen collaboration among the SEAMEO Centers involved; and

• To enhance the community development and other community relation skills of the respective staff members of the SEAMEO Centers involved.

SEAMEO Centre Expertise,

products and services

Appropriate interventions from the SEAMEO Centres and

Partners

SEAMEOSTAR

Village

Community Household

Involvement

Support from Partner-

Institutions

Local government Involvement

Input Throughput Output

SEAMEO STAR Village Project: Framework

SEAMEO STAR Village Project: Implementing Structure

Board of Directors of SEAMEO Centres/ Partner-Institution

as Advisory Group

Project Teams of SEAMEO Centres/Partner-Institution

Villagers: household members, school heads, teachers and students, and health centre staff

Village HeadSupporters/

Sponsors

District Head

SEAMEO STAR Village Program: Completed ActivitiesEconomic/Life Skills Development:

• Training on catfish pond production for 25 village farmers, 25-26 July 2016

• Technical assistance on catfish pond production project, Oct-Dec 2016

• Training on Sheep Production for 17 village farmers, 20-21 Oct 2016

• Training on Catfish food processing for 25 village housewives, Nov 2016-Jan 2017

• Training on Smoked Catfish production for 25 village housewives, March 2017

SEAMEO STAR Village Program: Completed Activities

SEAMEO STAR Village Program: Completed Activities

SEAMEO STAR Village Program: Completed ActivitiesEducation and Health Improvement:• Training for Community Health Workers, 26 July 2016

• Training of Trainers on Nutrition for School Children, 18 September 2016

• Training on Subject Knowledge Enrichment in Science for 30 Science Teachers by SEAMEO QITEP in Science, 28-29 Oct 2016

• Training on Integrated Thematic Learning Models for Primary School Teachers by SEAMEO QITEP in Language, 14-18 Nov 2016

• Workshop on Realistic Mathematics for Early Childhood Teachers, 17-19 Nov 2016

• Training on Developing Thinking Skills Through Inquiry-based Science Education for Science Teachers by SEAMEO QITEP in Science, 28-29 April 2017

SEAMEO STAR Village Program: Completed Activities

Thank you for your attention.j.fernandez@biotrop.org

www.biotrop.org

References

• http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0015/001521/152157e.pdf (Strengthening Community Learning Centres through Linkages and Networks: A Synthesis of Six Country Reports, 2007)

• http://www.unescobkk.org/fileadmin/user_upload/appeal/Literacy_and_Continuing_Education/CLC/reports_and_publications/2013/PHILIPPINES.pdf

• Sustainability of Community Learning Centres: Community Ownership and Support, UNESCO Bangkok Asia and Pacific Regional Bureau for Education, 2011

• http://www.clcpedia.net/Indonesia: “CLC as a Delivery Mechanism for Lifelong Learning: Indonesia Case” by Buhai Sumanjuntak, delivered during the in CLC Regional Conference, Bangkok, 19-21 June 2013