Classroom Management Training For Community Learning Centers Coordinators in Jayapura, Keerom and Jayapura Regencies

In Term 1 of 2025, for the SAGU Foundation community development project initiative, I led a training project focused on Classroom Management for Community Learning Centers (CLC) Coordinators across three regions: Jayapura City, Keerom Regency, and Jayapura Regency. The project, titled Empowering Coordinators through Classroom Management Training, involved a full-day, in-person training session held on 21 March 2025 at the SAGU Foundation. Lucia Runggeari and Azarya Patty, English tutors of SAGU Foundation also helped me in this project. In addition, from the ten participants who applied for the training, six were able to attend on the scheduled day. The primary objective was to enhance classroom management skills among CLC coordinators, with the broader goal of fostering inclusive, structured, and supportive learning environments.

Many community-based learning centers in Papua operate in informal or semi-formal settings, often led by local volunteers with little or no formal teacher training. These centers are essential access points for literacy, numeracy, and life skills development, especially for children and youth in underserved or red-zone areas. However, one frequent issue observed during a site visit was the lack of structured learning due to ineffective classroom management. Learners often get distracted, class time is lost to class disturbances, and tutors feel overwhelmed to handle diverse student needs. As someone who has worked closely with children and been actively involved in a community learning center, I have personally observed that effective classroom management can significantly reduce the challenges faced by both learners and tutors during the teaching and learning process. I believe that education truly takes place when learning is actively experienced by students, and this requires an environment where meaningful learning can occur. Therefore, this project was initiated in response to these challenges to strengthen the foundational teaching competencies of CLC coordinators, with classroom management as the main focus. The training covered some classroom management topics, including managing student behavior positively, organizing classroom activities, and responding to learner diversity.

The training gave several significant outcomes that contributed to strengthening classroom management practices in Community Learning Centers. First, 100% of participants reported increased confidence in managing classrooms effectively, as indicated in post-training surveys. Coordinators also adopted a range of practical tools, including positive discipline strategies, group learning techniques, structured lesson planning, and student self-reflection activities. Furthermore, peer-led initiatives emerged, with four participating CLCs organizing follow-up sharing sessions to disseminate their newly acquired knowledge to fellow tutors. Follow-up observations revealed improved classroom routines and higher levels of learner engagement. Additionally, participant feedback collected through a survey of six CLC leaders indicated a 100% increase in satisfaction with their classroom experiences, particularly in feeling heard regarding the challenges they face and gaining practical strategies to manage their classrooms more effectively.

Despite the positive outcomes of the training, several challenges emerged during its implementation. One of the main issues was distance and logistics, as bringing coordinators from rural areas to Jayapura proved difficult due to travel constraints and scheduling conflicts, particularly for those with work or family responsibilities. Additionally, the participants came from diverse educational backgrounds, which required flexible and adaptive training methods to meet varying levels of understanding and experience. Another significant challenge was the limited follow-up support; sustaining the impact of the training requires ongoing networking, which was forced by time limitations. These challenges underscore the need for more localized training models and the integration of stronger digital communication tools to support remote mentoring and continued professional development.

One of the key lessons I learned was that empowering community coordinators goes beyond giving them tools—it requires listening to their context and adapting training accordingly. The coordinators brought rich local wisdom and experience, and the training became more effective when it evolved into a collaborative space rather than a top-down lecture format. I also realized the importance of peer-learning, as participants were more engaged when they heard success stories from each other rather than from external trainers alone. Lastly, I learned that sustainable change in classroom management requires continued reinforcement—something to prioritize in the next phase of this project.

This community development project on Classroom Management for Community Learning Center coordinators marked a significant step in building stronger educational environments in Papua. While challenges remain, the outcomes showed that with targeted training and a supportive learning environment, community coordinators can transform their teaching practices and, in turn, create more structured, inclusive, and effective learning experiences for children. Moving forward, the project aims to scale up support by incorporating digital training materials, strengthening peer networks, and advocating for more investment in grassroots educator development.

Author :


Diana Kambuaya
English Tutor & Program Manager