The Role of community learning groups in stimulating nonformal and formal education in rural communities in Uganda

• In Event: Learning In And With The Community

Proposal

Background: In Uganda it was estimated that over 15 million learners missed school entirely and about 548,000 teachers who served 73,200 academic institutions (MoES 2020) had to step down from their teaching responsibilities as schools closed for nearly 22 months due to the Covid 19 pandemic between 2020-2022. Majority of learners who missed school were at the primary school level. In fact, it was already estimated that about 30 percent of all learners never return to school (NPA, 2021b). Beyond the absolute number of children experiencing learning loss, the quality of education is also at peril.
Therefore, Asante Africa Foundation is implementing and learning from the community learning group model initially designed to keep out of school adolescents and youth engaged and on the learning path during the pandemic. The model encourages and equips young people between 14-24 years with skills to have an alternative pathway for the much-needed life skills and enterprise development for purposes of equipping young individuals with the necessary knowledge, abilities, and competencies to excel in the workforce and contribute positively to society. It aims to provide young people with the relevant skills, education, and training that align with the demands of the job market, improved livelihoods, thus increasing their critical thinking skills, innovation by leveraging on indigenous knowledge, employability and fostering economic growth. This study investigates the causes and different experiences of being in the CLG’s among male and female youth out of school from Kasanda and Kyenjojo districts in Uganda.
Therefore, it is crucial to investigate the underlying causes in the ability to access and remain in school for the rural youth and the related problems and their experiences in the community learning groups post-Covid 19 period. This study investigates the causes and different experiences of youth attending the community learning group sessions in Kasanda and Kyenjojo districts.
Methods: Operational research was conducted baseline and endline data was collected using a semi-structured community stakeholder meetings schedule with the youth out of school, along with key informants (KIIs) with the community learning group resource persons. The youth out of school from 4 out of 7 community learning groups in both districts were interviewed. The out of school youth from the CLG’s were purposively sampled to obtain a mix of boys and girls, four (4) stakeholder meetings or interviews with community members and nine (12) KIIs with the youth in the learning groups were conducted.
Results: At baseline out of 17, only three or four could understand English. This was a very big challenge because we spent almost five hours trying to make them understand the questionnaires.
During the intervention, a common observation at the learning centres was that some of the youths were not able to understand the theory that was being given during the formal school sessions and opted for the none formal practical skills from the community learning groups. These include practical skills like trade, agriculture, cookery and bakery, tailoring, hairdressing, and mechanics, bricklaying. For the female and male youth respectively.
The findings showed that overall, the Community learning groups were viewed as an opportunity to build the capacity of the beneficiaries who were both male and female youth and from the endline or impact assessment it was clear that most- over 80% of the youth in the CLC’s are successful people around the communities.37 out of 57 youth (Ether started businesses or are growing their business and impacting lives in their communities
Conclusions: So, the issue of practical and hands-on learning should be put in consideration, for the members in the community learning groups.
Then two, mentorship and role modelling. This is something that needs to be integral of the community learning group model. Through identifying mentors and role models who can inspire these youth in the learning groups.
The other as startup capital or funding mechanisms,
A positive approach that involves creating resilience in the family and community environments is also required to youth empowerment. Besides, this empirical research is recommended to improve skilling and youth empowerment models for out-of-school youth in rural impoverished communities
Keywords: community learning group model to empower rural out of school youth for alternative education pathway and skills development.

Authors

• Geoffrey Kasangaki, Asante Africa Foundation

• Erna Grasz, Asante Africa Foundation