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Policies
Areas where policy consideration is
necessary in Literacy and NFE for Adults and Youth include the following:
The challenges of developing and
implementing programs vary from country to country due to each
country's distinct political, social and economic reality. Policies in Literacy and Non Formal Education must take into account local, regional, national and international
contexts. The programs must be developed and elaborated in order to
respond to the changes in a constantly evolving society.
In addition to basic education and literacy, programs that have
incorporated the following areas have proven successful:
- Income generating activities
- Credit facilities
- Contributions to financing community
investments
- Support of the local community
- Payment of facilitators
- Trained facilitators
Strategies for Program Development and
Implementation
The majority of organizations, whether they are international,
bilateral, or voluntary, work with governments to develop and implement Literacy and NFE programs. Once the political priorities are determined by the
government, it is necessary for the organization to work with the
government to develop program practices that are pertinent to the target
population. Different strategies are employed in order to
successfully implement these programs. (Oxenham/Aoki, 2001).
The following recommendations should be taken into
consideration when designing and implementing adult basic education
programs:
- Framework: The program should create a framework for lifelong
learning that specifically links adult/youth basic education into
the main system of accreditation and provides pathways for
"graduates" to pursue further education
- Participation: Learners should attend on a voluntary
basis
- Cost: Since adults bear high opportunity
costs to participate in classes and they are invariably
low-income individuals, adult basic education should be free for
participants. In order to provide a free program, education and training
may be linked to
income-generating activities in order to produce money for resources
- Diversity: Program participants will have various
reasons and needs for attending classes. Literacy and basic
education instruction should respond to these various needs and
should be incorporated into instruction on agriculture, health,
micro-enterprise, etc. Always link literacy and numeracy to
life, work, and community and social issues
- Language: Programs should begin instruction in the
local language or languages
- Dissemination: Use instructional and training
opportunities to disseminate important information, such as
information about the cause and prevention of HIV/AIDS and the care
of AIDS
patients
- Partnerships: Effective programs are designed and
implemented with cooperation between governments and civil
society. It is necessary to identify and capitalize on existing
institutions and sources of social energy in order to maximize cooperation
between governments (local and central), voluntary organizations
(local, national and international), community organizations, and
the private sector.
- Facilitators: Facilitators must receive
adequate technical, moral and material support, including assistance
from supervisors and professional networks. Local facilitators
should be recruited and used when possible.
- Family: Programs should reinforce the importance of
education and the connection between the
education of children and
the education of their parents. Parents should be taught to
engage in their child's education and assist them with school work.
- Alternative Instructional Tools: When possible,
programs should encourage the use of Information Communication
Technologies as well as radio and newspapers to promote lifelong
learning.
Types of Strategies
National
Campaigns/State-Run Campaigns
(Example Countries: Cuba, Ecuador, Nicaragua,
Tanzania, Mozambique)
Requirements:
- Very strong political
will and commitment
- Excellent organizational and administrative capacity
Effectiveness:
- Generally effective in
the short term
- Produces social mobilization
- Difficult to sustain for long term
National Programs Run by the State
(Example Countries: Indonesia, Kenya, Namibia, Nepal,
Uganda, Zambia)
Requirements:
- Sustained political and
financial commitment
- Effective system of delivery, supervision and
accountability
Effectiveness:
- Initial stages of the program are effective
- Enthusiasm may wane
- State
sponsorship tends to generate expectations of participants for 'civil service'
career
Programs Delegated / Decentralized by the Central
Government to Provinces / Municipalities / Communities
(Example Countries: India, China, Tanzania)
Requirements:
- Strong local capacity
and commitment
- Support and reinforcement by the central authorities
Effectiveness:
- Effectiveness depends on local capacities
State Programs That Accept, Invite, or Contract for
Participation by Voluntary Agencies
(Example
Countries: Gambia, Bangladesh, Senegal)
Requirements:
- Good supervision
- Monitoring and evaluation mechanisms
- Transparency
- Accountability
- Collaboration
Effectiveness:
- Depends on the capacity of both the state and the
agency
- Depends on government utilization of NGO expertise
- Depends on the flexibility of both the government
and the NGO
Voluntary Agency Programs with
Support from the State
(Example Countries: El Salvador,
Mozambique)
Requirements:
- Competent agencies
- Effective system of support and accountability
Effectiveness:
- Possibility of uneven implementation
Voluntary Agency Programs
(Example Countries: Tanzania, Philippines)
Requirements:
- Competent agencies with
their own facilitators, teaching and learning methods, and
materials.
Effectiveness:
- Programs have a limited reach
- Programs may be dependent on particular individuals in an
organization
Private Sector Firms with Some Government
Support
(Example Countries: Botswana, South Africa,
Zambia, Zimbabwe)
Requirements:
- Resources and commitment
of a firm's management
Effectiveness:
- Firms are generally limited to using their own employees
Community Initiatives
(Example Country: Bangladesh)
Requirements:
- Sense of social contribution
- Committed community leaders
Effectiveness:
- Effectiveness is limited
- Program dependant on particular people
References:
[This link provides the national literacy policies of
the following countries: Afghanistan,
Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Islamic
Republic of Iran, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar,
Nepal, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Sri Lanka,
Thailand, Vietnam.]
- Kaufmann, D., Kraay, A. and
Zoido-Lobatón, P. (1999). Governance
Matters. World Bank Policy
Research Working Paper No. WPS2196.
- UNESCO Institute for Education (UIE)
(1997). "Literacy for
Tomorrow." In Adult Learning and the
Challenges
of the 21st Century. Booklet 3g. Document from the workshop held at
the Fifth International Conference on Adult Education, Hamburg
(CONFINTEA V).
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