Implementing Agency

Non-Formal Education Centre (NFE Centre)
Ministry of Education and Sports
Sanothimi, Bhaktapur
Phone: 977-1-631288
Fax: 977-1-631280

UNESCO Kathmandu Office
Ring Road, Bansbari, Kathmandu
Phone: 977-1-374009, 374010, 371020
Fax: 977-1-373004

National Resource Centre for Non-Formal Education (NRC-NFE)
Talchhikhel, Satdobato, Lalitpur 14, P.O. Box 270, Patan
Phone: 977-1-5534416
Contact person: Mr. T. M. Sakya, President

Literacy and NFE situation
More than half of Nepalese adult population still remains illiterate today.  Adult literacy rate was 41.7% in 2000, and female literacy rate was only 24.0% while male literacy rate was 59.4%.  About 40% of the people still live in absolute poverty.

CLC Initiatives and Features
The concept of CLC has evolved in Nepal during the 1980s as a result of project “Seti Education for Rural Development” initiated by UNESCO and UNICEF for adult and female literacy education with the establishment of Village Reading Centers (VRC).  154 VRCs were established to conduct post-literacy and continuing education programmes.  The concept of VRC was revitalized and further broadened from a ‘reading’ center to a ‘learning’ center, with the formation of National Committee on CLC in 1999, headed by the NFE Centre, and consisting of NRC-NFE and UNESCO Kathmandu Office. 

Until today, 8 CLCs under UNESCO Kathmandu office, 5 CLCs under NFE Centre, and 7 CLCs under NRC-NFE have been operating with support of UNESCO Bangkok, National Federation of UNESCO Associations of Japan (NFUAJ) and Rotary Matching Grant Fund.  CLCs cover both urban and rural areas and provide forum for continuing and lifelong learning and empower community people.

Main Activities
The activities of CLCs vary considerably across communities, since the community needs differ according to the local contexts.  Some of the major activities may include basic literacy and post literacy classes, training on communication and social interaction skills, training on various occupational skills, activities to foster local culture and indigenous knowledge, social awareness raising and community mobilization, information dissemination, community survey and database, and income generating activities such as handicrafts, bee keeping, goat keeping, poultry farming, horticulture, cash crop production, etc.

Strengths and Weaknesses
Most of the existing CLCs have been operated by project approach supported by external doners, and the experiences of CLCs have not been disseminated widely yet.  There is also the need for capacity building to strengthen sustainability of the established CLCs for the future expansion.  Since many organizations are implementing various activities by using CLC approach, in addition to the above mentioned organizations, there is not yet a well-defined national policy nor a central agency to guide and coordinate the CLC activities in the country.

Future Plans
Some of the proposed future plans are:
- To conduct inter-agency training programmes to enhance the capacity of CLC personnel.
- To conduct CLC Impact Study.
- To establish new CLCs.