With funding from New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT), the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) has launched the implementation of the “Partnership for Open, Distance and Flexible Learning in the Pacific” Together with the Pacific Centre for Flexible and Open Learning for Development (PACFOLD), the five-year initiative aims to contribute to enhancing the capacity and efficiency of the Pacific education sector through greater use of innovative delivery mechanisms and technology.
With MFAT funding, COL will organise activities aimed to overcome the impact of COVID-19, such as creation of targeted repositories of online open educational resources and building capacity of local teachers in distance learning.
The initiative will support youth employment in the region through professional development of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) providers, as well as skills and leadership training for young people (with special emphasis on young women and persons with disabilities).
This partnership will also help build resilience in the Pacific Education Systems via enhancements in cloud-based computing, development of resources and training for teachers and local officials in open, distance and flexible learning. Supporting the development and management of regional tools, such as the eLearning for Science Resource Repository, is another focus area.