PAEBA uses a range of innovative teaching approaches and learning materials which are designed to nurture independent learning and critical thinking among learners. As a rule, learning is based on integrated and thematic modules (workbooks) for learner and teaching manuals for facilitators. Learners’ workbooks are designed to facilitate progressive individual and group learning with methodological assistance from trained facilitators, either through classroom-based instruction or e-learning (i.e. the internet, e-mail and teleconferences). In addition, PAEBA has opened two daycare centres to enable women with young children to attend classes. The strate- gy has proved to be very popular with women and plans are underway to establish more daycare centres.
Other innovative teaching strategies and approaches used by PAEBA include:
The Aula Mentor System Aula Mentor is a distance learning system for youth and adults learners. Learners can enrol at any time of the year, and study anywhere they want, according to their level of skills and learning needs. Most learners can afford the enrolment fees of 20 PEN per month (approx. USD 6) and are afforded an added incentive in that they will be refunded 50% of their enrolment fees once they have successfully completed the course. Furthermore, learners are free to choose the course that best suits their needs from a range of pro- gramme courses that include business entrepreneurship, ICT skills, education and health. After enrolling in the programme, learners receive ongoing mentorship from trained tutors. To address the challenges arising from limited access to ICTs, especially the Internet, PAEBA has opened Aula Mentor Centres (AMC) in various locations. The AMCs are equipped with computers, technical resources and didactic materials, and are open to anyone interested in learning. They also serve as community-based PAEBA learning centres where learn- ers meet their programme tutors and supervisors. Since 2004, PAEBA-Peru
has established five AMCs, and other town councils such as Lima have expressed an interest in adopting the AMCs system to enhance their existing educational services. The Aulas Móviles System Since vocational skills cannot be taught or learned effectively using the distance or online approach, PAEBA introduced a system of mobile classrooms (Aulas Móviles), whereby a professional team of peripatetic facilitators equipped with training materials visit learners living in distant areas. For periods of two months at a time, facilitators offer training workshops to learners in a range of subjects including community development, water and sanitation, hairdressing and early childhood education.
The PAEBA system as a whole view learning not only as the acquisition of knowledge, but also – and most importantly – as a comprehensive process of human and social devel- opment during which learners gain necessary skills, attitudes and values. The role of the facilitator is essentially to guide this holistic process. Thus, in practice, adult learning endeavours to empower learners with life skills that enable them to improve their living standards and participate actively in the development of their communities.
PROGRAMME IMPACT
AND CHALLENGES
Impact and Achievements
The programme has had life-changing impacts on learners and their families. Since its inception, it has reported a number of key achievements: By 2007, five years since its inception, more than 85,000 learners had attended the PAEBA programme, of whom 70% completed the initial and intermediate levels. Of the 1,500 who enrolled in the advanced level, 40% received a secondary school leaving certificate from the Ministry of Education.
The vocational training offered through the mobile classroom system has benefited 18,811 learners, with a completion/graduation rate of 74.2 %.
The Aula Mentor learning centres have catered for more than 949 students, of whom around 650 (68.5%) completed their courses. Furthermore, PAEBA-Peru has published a range of didactic materials for adult learners as well as technical manuals for facilitators. It has also contributed towards the institutionalisation of youth and adult learning in Peru.
Challenges
The programme’s centralised organizational structure has ham- pered its progress due to excessive bureaucracy and inefficient communi- cation. In addition, the size and cost of this structure has deprived learners of valuable resources. As a result, efforts are currently underway to decentralise the administration of the programme.
When PAEBA was first established in Peru, the intention was to transfer responsibility for implementing the programme progressively to the Peruvian Ministry of Education; however, the lack of institutional capacities has delayed this process. The programme has attracted limited funding. As a result, it has failed to attract competent professionals or to procure adequate resources. Moreover, it has also failed to train sufficient facilitators to carry out the programme’s activities.
By and large, the curriculum and learning materials have been designed, developed and validated in urban environments with little communication with participants in rural areas. Consequently, both the curriculum and teaching methodolo- gies have failed to meet the needs of rural learners.
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Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable DevelopmentLESSONS LEARNED
As recommended by evaluation reports, learners must be included in the planning and development of the programme so that their needs and expectations are addressed and the sustainability of the programme guaranteed.
The concept of mobile classrooms is an innovative approach to adult learning that brings educational opportunities to the people, thus en- abling learners in remote and poorly resourced communities to access education and training. For example, learners who may have been discour- aged from attending literacy classes due to a lack of learning centres in the area can now easily attend mobile classes. Furthermore, mobile classes can easily be scheduled to fit in with the agricultural seasons. However, due to the higher cost of implement- ing mobile classrooms, this strategy requires both sufficient funding and the cooperation of all those involved in community development activities.
SUSTAINABILITY
The demand for literacy and educa- tion (including vocational training) programmes is still very high in Peru. Moreover, many people who have had limited access to effective education and training are in need of accelerated learning opportunities such as those provided by PEABA- Peru. However, following the end of the first and second phases in December 2008, the programme was discontinued due to lack of interest on the part of the Peruvian Ministry of Education.
SOURCES
■ Maria Clara Di Pierro, 2008, Youth
and Adult Education in Latin Amer- ica and the Caribbean: The Recent Trajectory
■ Regina Cortina and María Teresa
Sánchez, 2007, Spanish Bilateral Initi- atives for Education in Latin America
CONTACT
Francisco Jesús Gutiérrez Soto Director of the PAEBA-Peru
Programme
Jorge Basadre 460 San Isidro – Lima Peru
Tel.: +11 511 202 7000
E-mail: francisco.gutierrez@aecid. pe / [email protected] / [email protected]