Learning to Manage Literacy Programmes in South Asia

As one of ESCAP's literacy projects, "Government-NGO cooperation to promote HRD for women in South Asia through post-literacy programme development" enters its third and final year, we take time to review the project, as well as gearing up for future activities in the field of literacy promotion.

Libraries in Bangladesh. Income-generation activities in India. Training of trainers in Nepal. Post-literacy centres in Pakistan. These are all part of the pilot project activities that have taken place under the ESCAP Project "Government-NGO cooperation to promote HRD for women in South Asia through post-literacy programme development", funded by the Government of the Netherlands. Now, as the project enters its third and final stage, which focuses on evaluation, ESCAP is devoting much time to performing an assessment of the Project and its principle output, the Handbook for Post-literacy, and also looking to the future for continued work in the field of literacy promotion.

As part of the evaluation exercises, the national counterpart organizations in the participating countries (Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan) will each host national workshops. During these workshops, project personnel from all levels will come together to evaluate the pilot projects, and the use of the Handbook for Post-Literacy, which was developed in 1997. In addition, a vital part of the national evaluations will be to provide case studies and examples to be included in the Handbook. Questions such as, "How do you foster learner and community participation in the running of a post-literacy programme?" and " What common management problems do you face?" will be discussed by the workshop participants. Answers to these and many more similar questions will ensure that the Handbook produced will be a useful and effective tool in running literacy and post-literacy programmes.

In March 1999, ESCAP will convene a subregional workshop to finalize the Handbook and discuss future activities. While beginning to develop future projects, however, it is helpful to reflect on ESCAP's literacy work. In looking back at this Project, three factors stand out as crucial to the success of ESCAP's work in the field of literacy promotion. First, collaboration with other agencies, such as UNESCO/PROAP. From the beginning stages of projects, ESCAP coordinates with other relevant agencies, to ensure that existing resources are being used wisely and effectively. Secondly, the networking. In all of its projects, ESCAP aims to reach the grassroots-level learners, teachers and communities, through its partnership with the national counterpart organizations. The projects start with sub-regional activities and extend to the national and local level activities, ensuring transfer of skills at all levels. At the same time, the projects aim to create a network of NGOs as well as to foster government-NGO collaboration for the effective delivery of literacy programmes. Lastly, one of the most important aspects of the ESCAP projects has been the development of prototype materials for non-formal education and the focus on capacity building. ESCAP's focus on the development of materials such as the Handbook, have provided prototypes for the design and implementation of functional literacy programmes. By placing an emphasis on capacity building of the national and local NGOs running literacy programmes, ESCAP hopes to contribute to an improved quality and sustainability of literacy programmes.

As part of the ongoing multi-agency approach, ESCAP took part in the Planning Meeting on Community Learning Centres organized by UNESCO/PROAP and UNESCO Dhaka in collaboration with Dhaka Ahsania Mission and the Bangladesh National Commission for UNESCO, held in Dhaka in September. This meeting focused on the development of community learning centres (CLC) in 10 countries in the Asia-Pacific region. CLCs promote human and community development through life-long education for all people in the community. The functions of the CLCs are to provide education and training, community information and participation, community development, and coordination and networking.

ESCAP hopes to work closely with UNESCO/PROAP and the CLCs in future projects promoting literacy and non-formal education in the community. Through local-level networking, organizations can learn from one another, exchange ideas, and share resources. An increased involvement of community-based organizations will also ensure that the project's activities are meeting the needs of the target population, and further build the capacity of local organizations.

With this in mind, ESCAP is currently in the beginning stages of formulating a project proposal that will integrate several of the main project themes ESCAP is working on. Working in collaboration with UN agencies such as UNESCO/PROAP, UNDCP, and UNFPA, this project will aim to incorporate the functional adolescent health issues of sexual and reproductive health, drug abuse prevention and HIV/AIDS into non-formal education programmes. The idea for this project emanated from the governments attending the Second Asia-Pacific Intergovernmental Meeting on Human Resources Development for Youth, June 1998, in Bangkok.

This project will aim to integrate these issues at several levels: policy-makers; NGOs and youth organizations; and health and social workers at the grassroots level. At the policy level, the goal of the project will be to raise the awareness of policy-makers, as well as all formal literacy personnel and the public, of the need to integrate adolescent health issues into the formal education system. At the organization level, it is hoped that NGOs working on literacy will incorporate these health issues into their existing literacy programmes, as well as working with youth organizations to create their own programmes. Literacy and IEC materials will be developed, and capacity-building activities will continue. Finally, at the grassroots level, health and social workers will be trained in the delivery of adolescent health services.

While still at the beginning formulation stages, this project offers numerous possibilities for future work. Addressing the issues of sexual and reproductive health, drug abuse prevention, and HIV/AIDS is crucial for the well-being of young people today in the ESCAP region. By incorporating these issues into literacy programmes, young people can become better equipped to make well-informed decisions about their lives.