Implementing Agency

Institute for Rural Advancement (INFRA)
Ministry of Rural Development
Lot 2A, Persiaran Institusi, Bandar Baru Bangi, 43000 Kajang
Tel: 603-8926-5895, 5902, 5964, 5943, 5937, 5908, 5914, 5915  
Fax: 603-8926-5901, 5905

Kelantan Poverty Alleviation Foundation
Tingkat 5, Bangunan Mara Negeri, Jalan Dato’ Pati, 15000 Kato Bharu, Kelantan
Tel: (09) 7473631, 7473632   
Fax: (09) 7473637
 

Literacy and NFE situation
Today more than 93% of Malaysia's people are literate. Even though the illiteracy rate is low, there is still a need to formulate and implement life long education programmes.  Since 1961, the Community Development Division (KEMAS) of the Ministry of Rural Development (MORD) was entrusted to eradicate illiteracy among adults.  However, there is no central coordinating agency supervising the NFE sector in the country.  Practically, all government agencies and ministries are organizing continuing education and CLC activities, particularly Ministry of Rural Development and the Ministries of Agriculture and Health.

CLC Initiatives and Features
The ‘Rural Vision Movement 2020’ is the national drive to transform rural Malaysia into a developed and progressive sector.  With this Vision, lifelong education is accorded a high priority in order to provide a sufficient pool of well-educated, highly skilled and strongly motivated workers.  To reach this goal, CLCs have been given a strong role in strengthening community development, both in rural and urban areas.

UNESCO has supported the CLC activities under the Institute for Rural Advancement (INFRA), Ministry of Rural Development, and the Kelantan Poverty Alleviation Foundation, an NGO for poverty eradication movement. 

Main Activities
INFRA serves as a research and development institution for CLC management, and it gives high priority to computer literacy courses for CLC management leaders to reduce the digital gap between rural and urban areas.  Kelantan Poverty Alleviation Foundation provides lifelong education through its activities.  The major programmes conducted under their 4 CLCs are computer literacy, orphanage, academic excellence, quality of life improvement, income generation and future-oriented programmes.  Especially two of those 4 CLCs focus on computer literacy.

Strengths and Weaknesses (Achievements and Challenges)
The challenges in CLC programmes are the lack of close coordination and cooperation among different government agencies for overseeing the CLCs, and the lack of coordination and understanding between the government and NGOs in distribution of each other’s role, support and facilitation.  There are also the needs to strengthen the CLC capacity to increase the funds, expertise, local participation, and local community leadership.

Future Plans
Serious efforts are being made towards establishing a more effective and systematic mechanism for NFE.  In 2002 the INFRA is to initiate and play the leading role in setting up a formal central NFE coordinating mechanism for literacy and lifelong learning in the country, however it is subject to the cabinet approval.