The document outlines the concept, functions, and objectives of Community Learning Centers (CLCs), which are local educational institutions aimed at enhancing community development and participation. It discusses various programs offered by CLCs, factors influencing their effectiveness, challenges faced, and the role of community participation in ensuring sustainability. The document emphasizes the importance of local ownership, advocacy, and creating a supportive environment for CLCs to thrive.

1. MANAGING
THE
COMMUNITY
LEARNING
CENTER
(CLC)
VICENTE R. ANTOFINA, JR.
Mobile Teacher, Cluster
Head
Cluster 4
Districts of Maydolong,
Balangkayan, Llorente,
Hernani, Gen. MacArthur
Division of Eastern Samar

2. What is a CLC?
• UNESCO defines a CLC as a "Iocal educational
institution outside the formal education system, for
villages or urban areas, usually set up and managed by
local people to provide various learning opportunities
for community development and improvement of
people's quality of life“.
• CLC is built on the premise that community
participation is key to empowering communities and
addressing local development challenges.

3. CLC Functions
• A CLC is envisioned to be a place where the
community can gather for literacy classes,
community meetings, training on non-formal
and informal programmes, public information
and dissemination, and community
development.
• It is also a centre that links with other agencies
of government, private and public organizations,
for programmes that are of benefit to the
community.

4. The objectives of CLCs are:
• To help in the development of the
livelihood of citizens through the
programmes and projects of the
alternative learning system;
• To strengthen and broaden
community links for mutual
support;
• To develop the capability of those
who lead the community or
barangay

5. CLC Programmes
• Accreditation and equivalency (A&E)
• A&E , livelihood/training
• A&E, literacy
• A&E, literacy, training
• A&E, livelihood training, computer
literacy
• A&E, PEPT, training/livelihood
• A&E, PEPT, training/livelihood,
literacy
• A&E, PEPT review
• A&E, research
• Literacy
• Literacy, livelihood
• Literacy, livelihood, preschool
• Literacy, reading centre/library
• Literacy, conferences
• Literacy, prayer/worship
• Computer literacy
• Computer literacy, A&E Computer
literacy, A&E, livelihood

6. CLC Programmes
• Livelihood training
• Meetings, assemblies, activities
• Meetings, literacy, livelihood
• Reading centre
• PEPT review, livelihood, seminars
• Seminars, meetings
• Activity Number of CLCs Percent
Seminars, training
• Training, reading centre, conferences
• Training
• Training, research, A&E

7. Factors contributing to the effective
functioning of CLC’s
• Local ownership and participation
• Enabling national policies and programs to respond to local realities
• Policy linkages and multi-sectoral support
• Strong support of central, provincial and local governments
• Strong management
• External support or interventions that help maximize local potential •
• Strong social capital (homogeneity and unity among community members
guided by similar values and aspirations)
• Multi-sectoral support with good networking, collaboration and
cooperation with different stakeholders.

8. Challenges faced
by CLC’s
• CLCs are not supported by or
linked to national policies and
programs.
• Programs not integrated to local
development plans and
programs.
• CLC programs are too thinly
spread and have little impact
• Sustainability issues

9. Community
Participation
• the greater the degree of
community participation in CLC
activities, the greater the
possibility and reality of
ownership, and, therefore, the
more likely the sustainability of
the CLC.
CLC

10. Possible Types of Participation
1. Manipulative participation. Participation is a sham.
2. Passive participation. People participate by being told what has
been decided or has already happened. Information shared belongs
only to external professionals.
3. Participation by consultation. People participate by answering
questions. No share in decisionmaking is conceded and professionals
are under no obligation to take on board people’s views. Again a
common early experience for most countries which is still the case for
the majority of CLCs in Bangladesh.

11. Possible Types of Participation
4. Participation for material incentives. People participate in return for
food, cash or other material incentives. They have no stake in
prolonging activities when the incentives end. This opinion is not
commonly held in other countries.
5. Functional participation. Participation is seen by external agencies
as a means to achieve project goals, especially reduced costs. People
may participate by forming groups to meet predetermined project
objectives.

12. Possible Types of Participation
6. Interactive participation. People participate in joint analysis, which
leads to action plans and the formation or strengthening of local
groups or institutions that determine how resources are used. Learning
methods are used to seek multiple viewpoints.
7. Self-mobilization. People take initiatives independently of external
institutions. They develop contacts with external institutions for
resources and technical advice but retain control over how resources
are used. This would be a view held by most countries of the role of
NGOs in founding CLCs.

13. External Intervention
Can the CLCs be sustained
without external
funding?

14. • It is understandable that underserved and marginalized
groups which are unable to raise adequate resources for
education.
• Networking with other government and non-government
organizations with similar objectives can help raise non-
monetary resources in the form of awareness building and
teaching/ learning materials.

15. • Such networking will contribute to meaningful
knowledge sharing and capacity-building among
different stakeholders.
• Perceptions and attitudes of national and local level
government agencies are crucial for the functioning of
the CLCs.

16. Sustainability
• Participants to be involved in all aspects of CLCs.
• Community members can participate fully.
• Members participate fully and responsibly.

17. “Intervention should decrease
as internal autonomy
increases”.

18. How participation
can be enhanced?
• requires capacity
building
• advocacy and
partnerships

19. “No CLC is an island”

20. The human face of CLC’s
• In the pursuit of sustainability it is all too easy to forget that human
activities have a human face.
Example1: IGA (Income Generating Activity) does not rank very high
in the list of useful activities of a majority of CLCs but when members
of local communities are asked to mention the activities they think the
CLCs should concentrate on, they identified IGA as the most important
one and they have also indicated the specific trades they preferred.
Example 2: When local patrons support CLCs but meet objections to
their wish to have a say in CLC affairs.

21. Community participation/ownership
and external intervention will remain intertwined
in the development of
and for the sustainability of CLCs.

22. The two
phases for
establishing
CLCs
I. Planning
• Community mobilization/ information
dissemination/drumming up interest;
• Community planning;
•Preparation of plans of action.
II. Implementation
• Execution of plans;
• Monitoring;
• Evaluation of programmes/drawing up of
lessons learned.

23. Competencies of
ALS Implementers
as CLC Managers
I. Leadership and Managing Operations
in the CLC
II. Instructional Leadership
III. Creating Community-Based and
Learner-Centered Learning Climate
IV. Enhancing Personal and Professional
Growth and Development

24. I. CLC Leadership and Managing Operations
A. Developing & Communicating Vision,
Mission, Goals, Objectives and Activities
of the CLC
• Coordinate and participate in formulating the CLC’s
VMGOA
• Explaining to the general public the CLC’s VMGOA
B. Management and Information System
• Conduct community literacy mapping.
• Gather data on ALS programs and projects
• Establish functional MIS
C. Development Planning
• Coordinate and participate in the planning for
development & implementation of ALS projects.
• Prepare action plan in coordination with the ALS ES I and
PSDS.
• Prepare performance targets.
• Prepare project proposals to source out funds in
coordination with ALS ES-I and PSDS.
D. Advocacy, Community Organization and Social
Mobilization
• Conduct linkage and networking with LGU’s, NGO’s and other
stakeholders.
• Coordinate with community leaders to identify potential learners
• Organize learning groups for ALS Basic Literacy Program,
Accreditation & Equivalency System and other ALS projects.
• Use various strategies in raising awareness on the ALS programs and
projects.
E. Monitoring and Evaluation
• Monitor and evaluate ALS programs and projects within the district.
•Prepare status and progress report of the different ALS programs and
projects.
•Submits quarterly and year-end accomplishment reports.

25. II. Instructional Leadership
A. Assessing Learners’ Literacy
• Conducts evaluation to determine the entry and exit level of learners using the Functional Literacy Test (FLT) and
other ALS assessment tools.
•Monitor and evaluate the learners’ learning progress.
B. Conducting Learning Sessions
• Conduct learning sessions using ALS core modules and other materials for at least 10 months a year.
• Devise plans and implement them in order to sustain gains of learners from the ALS programs.

26. III. Creating Community-Based and Learner-
Centered Learning Climate
A. Determine the learning needs of learners.
• Use Individual Learning Agreement (ILA) to identify the learning needs of evert learner.
• Conduct home visits, individual tutorials, counseling and other need-driven activities in an effort to retain and win the
learners back to the literacy sessions
• Assist in the preparation of learning portfolio.
A. Materials Development and / or Adaptation
• Prepare and develop community-based learning materials and other supplementary learning materials.
• Adapt existing ALS materials and other supplementary learning materials by localizing them.
• Adopt existing ALS materials and other supplementary learning materials.
• Translate ALS learning materials and other learning materials into the local language of the learners or communities
where he/she conducts learning session as the need arises.

27. IV. Enhancing Personal and Professional
Growth and Development
A. Professionalism
• Observes and demonstrates desirable personal and professional (RA 6713 & Code of Ethics RA 7836) behaviors like
respect, honesty, dedication, patriotism and genuine concern for others at all times
B. Capability Building
• Provide technical assistance to the mobile teacher, community leaders and other stakeholders.
• Serves as resource person, facilitator, and moderator during orientations, seminars, training, etc.
• Benchmark best practices of ALS Implementers in other divisions or regions.
C. Research and Development
• Coordinate and conduct action research and development activities to improve teaching-learning process as well as
delivery of ALS programs and projects.

28. References:
1. Google images
2. National Competency Based for School Heads Manual
3. Omnibus Guidelines for ALS
4. UNESCO Bangkok. Sustainability of Community Learning Centers:
Community Ownership and Support (Asia Pacific region Action
Research Studies), Bangkok 10110, Thailand. 2011
http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0021/002146/214655E.pdf

29. The End