The main purpose of this paper is to document the potential contributions of the
community learning centers in the process of rural transformation and explore
how formal, non-formal and informal education are blended for capital formation,
empowerment and self sufficiency of the rural communities. Discussions and
arguments presented in this paper are based on secondary sources supplemented by
a field-based case study.
Nepal’s rural communities over the years are facing poverty, deprivation and
ignorance. Education and skills for life are particularly important to combat rural
poverty and deprivation by developing capacity of rural people to take advantage of
available opportunities for reducing economic and non-economic poverty.
Community learning centers (CLCs) as the local educational institutions
outside the formal structure, can create various learning options and opportunities,
responding to the diverse needs of the rural communities living in a complex
situation. Referring to a case study, the paper has advocated that CLCs can be
instrumental in rural transformation by offering diverse programs in education
and community services such as: early childhood care and development, good
quality primary education for all children, second chance basic education for youth,
literacy and post literacy programs, women education program, vocational skill
development, income generating programs and community development services
for improving the quality of life of rural people. The paper further suggested that
CLC has potential to offer assistance to the students of local schools in improving
their academic achievement and to serve as a local institutional base offering
technology-based open and distance learning opportunities and engage rural people
in lifelong learning and continuing education.