Achieving human potential through community learning centres in Ghana: a capabilities approach to community development

Abstract

This article uses Sen’s Capabilities Approach (CA), which prioritises access and equality, to critically investigate distance education (DE) programmes in the community learning centres (CLCs) as a programme that sheds light on how to best promote a community’s residents’ quality of life in Ghana. According to this study, encouraging distance learning in CLCs can have an impact on community development. To investigate how DE in CLCs aids community development, this study used a qualitative case study methodology and conducted in-depth interviews with students and service providers (n = 25) from the Greater Accra CLCs. Key emerging themes included fostering equity in the community and encouraging access and opportunity for learning through DE. Studies have demonstrated that the more active and knowledgeable individuals are, the greater their independence from families and, consequently, on the resources and services of the community. Additionally, engaged-educated people contribute to the development of their communities through the knowledge, expertise, and experience they have gained. Hence, Sen’s capability approach, which seeks to comprehend issues of access and opportunities in the community, makes the connection between studies in CLCs and community development. It is, therefore, imperative to conclude that CLCs are designed to offer learning activities for adults to promote an active lifestyle that contributes to the development of sustainable communities.

Keywords:

• Community development
• community learning centres
• capabilities approach
• sustainable communities
• adult learning

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).