SUSTAINING

COMMUNITY LEARNING CENTRE

OPERATION
Based on Some Experiences in Indonesia and
Philippines Compiled by UNESCO, and Personal Insights

By Jess C. Fernandez, PhD

SEAMEO 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, Government, NGO, Peoples
Local community initiated Organization, Private company initiated
Program Scope Functional Literacy, Functional Literacy
Early Childhood Care and Education Early Childhood Care and Education
Education Equivalency Vocational Skills Training
Vocational Skills Training Small-scale Entrepreneurship
Small scale Entrepreneurship Sustainable Livelihood
Sports and Recreation Adult Education
Womens Education Culture and Heritage Protection
Parenting Libraries & Reading Centers
Environment Care Environmental Protection
Religion Education
Number More than 9,000 (as of 2012) More than 45,000 (as of 2013)
 Some Contexts of CLCs in Indonesia &
Philippines
Aspects Indonesia
Legal National Law No.20 (2003): Citizens
Framework Right for Education (Article 26
especially acknowledging CLC)
Government Regulation No. 17
(2010): Guidance for CLC Operation
Indonesian Qualifications
Framework
Targets School drop outs, jobless, farmers,
laborers, prisoners/ex-convicts,
housewives, slum dwellers, street
children, trafficking victims
Accrediting National Accreditation Board of Non-
Body formal Education
Philippines
Department of Educations Alternative
Learning System (1984)
House of Representatives Bill 1738:
21st Century Community Learning
Centers Act (2010)
Executive Order No. 83: Philippine
Qualifications Framework (2012)
School drop outs (youth & adults),
illiterate adults, laborers, jobless,
mothers, senior citizens, indigenous
people, inmates, farmers/ fisherfolks,
urban poor, PWDs, professionals
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 CLCs 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 governmentled 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 CLCDonors 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
Tapinternational 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 STAR Village Project: Framework
Input Throughput Output

Local government
Involvement
SEAMEO Centre
Expertise,
products and
Appropriate
services
interventions from the SEAMEO
SEAMEO Centres and STAR
Partners
Village
Support from
Partner-
Institutions
Community
Household
Involvement
SEAMEO STAR Village Project:
Implementing Structure
District Head

Supporters/ Board of Directors of SEAMEO

Centres/ Partner-Institution Village Head
Sponsors
as Advisory Group

Project Teams of SEAMEO

Centres/Partner-Institution

Villagers: household
members, school heads,
teachers and students,
and health centre staff
SEAMEO STAR Village Program: Completed
Activities
Economic/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
Activities
Education 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