On a slightly rainy yet pleasant day, a diverse group of stakeholders convened at the Ruvu JKT Community Learning Centre (CLC) in Kibaha DC, nearly 40 km from Dar es Salaam, on July 12, 2024, for a significant learning visit. The Zanzibar delegation had expressed interest in visiting one of the CLCs in Tanzania mainland to glean insights into the activities and accomplishments of this model. Consequently, DVV International, in partnership with the Institute of Adult Education (IAE), facilitated a learning visit at the RUVU JKT CLC, uniting representatives from various educational and governmental bodies from mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar, alongside community members and learners. The primary objectives were to exchange insights and successes in enhancing Adult Learning and Education services through the CLC.
Touring through the CLC Compound
Visit the demonstration area
The participants were captivated by the effectiveness of the demonstration area. The Agriculture extension officer uses this area to train community members on sustainable agricultural practices. Adult learners regularly receive these practical skills which helps them to enhance their productivity and, in turn, their livelihoods. The central location of the CLC allows the extension officer to reach a large number of community members, saving the effort of visiting each one individually and enabling multiple trainings to take place in one spot.
"The Centre should belong to the community, incorporating professionals from health, finance, agriculture, and more to meet the diverse needs of the people." – Sedet Bullaya, President Office Regional Administration and Local Government
Visit to the Fishpond
The participants were impressed by the developments at the fishpond. The District Fishery Officer guided the participants through the components the community members came to learn practically about aquaculture activities at the fishpond. The regular fish farming training provided at the centre had positively impacted members of the Kibaha DC community. For example, some of the community members have initiated their fish farming businesses and had made acknowledgeable income. One of the main areas for the fish farming training is about the fishpond, building and maintenance, food and water supply while also how it impacts the community and support the district development. The fishpond helps the District Fishery Officer to effectively engage with the community since the CLC brings them together in one location.
"The effective implementation of training programs is evidenced by the tangible outcomes testified by the group of entrepreneurs and other CLC beneficiaries." – Prof Michael Ng’umbi, Rector of Institute of Adult Education
Visited the entrepreneurial exhibitions
In various stalls local entrepreneurs proudly displayed their products, including food crops, tailored clothing, arts and crafts, cooking oil, peanut butter, and small-scale food processing products. The products presented vividly demonstrated how the entrepreneurship skills training provided by the CLC is helping communities establish small businesses and develop their entrepreneurial abilities for income generation and resilient livelihoods. Such trainings include business planning and management - simple record keeping, financial literacy like savings and access to micro-loans and also technical training like tailoring, and food processing.
"Let's reflect on our progress. When we put in the effort and take action on our own, we can achieve significant results and enhance our lives." – Ramadhani Samainda, NACTVET
Community Learning Centre Management
Participants had the chance to engage with the CLC Coordinator, Community Facilitators, District Adult Education Officer (DAEO) to receive firsthand insights about the CLC operations and community impact. The CLC aims to meet community needs and serves as a multifaceted hub where Youth and adults receive training in areas such as agriculture, livestock keeping, fish farming, entrepreneurship, literacy, and more. The six-member CLC committee members, trained to oversee activities, works closely with the CLC coordinator and the DAEO to ensure that the activities are well planned and implemented. The close cooperation with District and Ward extension workers and trained community facilitators safeguards the CLCs smooth operation.
“The hands-on training provided profoundly impacts learners without necessarily requiring certification. The training received has been mind-blowing and effective, enabling learners to acquire skills quickly and efficiently." – Felista, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology
This learning visit not only showcased the successes of the Ruvu JKT CLC but also reinforced the importance of community-based education and the power of collective efforts in driving sustainable development. As the District Education Officer (DEO) puts it, "By bringing people together and providing relevant training, we can transform lives and communities."
The representative in the Zanzibar delegate from the Zanzibar Institute of Education, Asha Juma Kombo reflected on and shared her takeaways from the visit. She emphasized that these best practices has inspired them to go and implement similar initiatives in Zanzibar.
So now the newly revised ICBAE programme offers all these forms of learning and uses CLC as an ALE service delivery point. DVV International has supported the MoEST in upgrading the well-known Integrated Community-Based Adult Education (ICBAE) programme so that the educational content and methodologies align with contemporary needs and challenges, thus better equipping learners with relevant skills and knowledge.
Hear the voices from Zanzibar, IAE, District officials, TAMISEMI and DVV International about the impact and potential growth of ALE in Tanzania Mainland to Zanzibar watch the video here:
"We have learned a lot, from the centre and there is much work to be done. We aim to implement these insights in Zanzibar”– Asha Juma Kombo, Zanzibar Institute of Education (ZIE)
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