Educational Gains and Learning Continuity Through Non-Formal Learning Centers

Abstract

Learning is a continuous process that occurs in various contexts and means. When a system is subjected to disruptive conditions, an alternative learning delivery may even become a pivotal mechanism of continuity in ensuring effective learning. One such learning delivery is through non-formal learning centers (NFLCs), initially and primarily established to provide remediation and enrichment learning for extreme groups of learners – the struggling and the achieving learners. The disruption of in-person classes during the pandemic, the adoption of modular learning delivery, and subsequently, the shift to the new normal made these centers significant learning spaces in the community. This descriptive research presents NFLCs’ role in promoting learning continuity and the corresponding educational gains of enrollees or tutees during and after the pandemic through the perspective of randomly selected parents, center owners & operators, and teachers/tutors. It presents a profile of learners in terms of some demographics and the characteristics of these centers, catering to the educational needs of student-clients. It identified learners’ key educational gains, which include the development of learning strategies and skills, the achievement of academic excellence, personality development, the accomplishment of learning outputs, and adjustment and skills in the adoption of modular learning as a new approach adopted by schools. Moreover, attendance in centers promotes social adjustment to reduce isolation and minimize the negative impact of prolonged exposure to gadgets. These findings indicated learning centers’ role in supplementing traditional classroom learning through a more customized learning program operated as a viable entrepreneurial venture.