Rhetoric and Reality of Community Learning Center in Nepal: A Case Study in Chittapol CLC of Chittapol VDC, Bhaktpur District

Abstract

Education means learning to know, learning to be, learning to do, and learning to live together. It is believed that there are three modes of learning. Learning occurs in formal, non formal and informal settings and that the learning experience can be equally powerful in each of those settings. Non-formal education can be best described as " any organized, systematic educational activity carried on outside the framework of the formal system to provide selected types of learning to particular sub-groups in the population, adults as well as children. Community Learning Center (CLC) is understood as a local educational forum that is created, managed and owned by the community members for the purpose of overall community development. The name of the CLC is rational particularly because it is managed and utilized to execute sets of programs that directly serves the demands and interest of the community people. The CLCs act as an entity of non-formal education in Nepal. CLC is one of the new and emerging concepts in Nepalese non-formal education sector through the concept of village Reading Centre already existed. It is understood as a local educational forum that is created, managed and owned by the continuing members for the purpose of education and community development. The CLCs are commonly utilized mainly for the promotion of continuous and non-formal education, life improvement skilled and occupational knowledge for betterment of the community people. It was originated from Japan in the name of Terakoya/Kominkan and has been spreading throughout the globe and mostly in Asia in different names such as Community Development centre, Gyanodaya Kendra and Community Learning Centre. Nepal has piloted Community Learning Centre in 1996 with the support of UNESCO through the NGO sector. Now community learning centres are emerging as the heart of non-formal education throughout the country. The Chittapol CLC situated in Chittapol V.D.C. is Bhaktapur district which has been conducting various activities. However, the main objective of this CLC is to lead this community in the prosperity by providing learning opportunities. The main target of CLCs is reach with Illiterate  Literate  Income generating activities, which is not confined yet. It does not touch the whole poor people. It is due to constrained of funds. This CCLC has conducted the various research tools such as research designs, sampling, data collection tools etc to bring up the accurate information. In the study, there is used the key informants, and FGD for digging out the theoretical as well as the real basis. This CLCs has covered the total V.D.C. but the activities it has done still not been effective. As a result, it does not also escape from the rhetoric rather than reality. Out of total respondents i.e. 50, only 50 percent are from the targeted people and remaining others are from the kin and kiths of the management group.