An Evaluation of a Pedagogy Enhancement Programme for Alternative Learning Centres in Sabah

Abstract

For the undocumented children in Sabah, access to a rigorous and formal framework of schooling and learning is oftentimes hindered by existing national laws, policies and procedures which stipulate education, either in government or private schools, as a priority specifically for Malaysian citizens and legalised foreigners only. Children without any documentation as such do not have any recourse to formal education or participation in any form of formalised school learning. Alternative Education Programmes (AEPs) in Alternative Learning Centres (ALCs) are conceptualised to address this exclusion and provide some form of education to the undocumented children who would otherwise be deprived of any form of schooling and learning. This paper presents an evaluation of a pedagogy enhancement programme for teachers of several ALCs with the programme attainment ascertained using the Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick (2006) Four-step evaluation model. The result of the evaluation aims to facilitate decision-making for follow-up programmes for this particular group, or similar future target groups. The evaluation report would also serve as a reference point for the future design, implementation, and evaluation of other enhancement programmes for ALCs.