Flexible and Open Distance Education Project

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The development objective of this Flexible and Open Distance Education (FODE) Project is to increase the number of out-of-school youth who complete recognized secondary diploma and certificate equivalency programs. There are four components to the project. Component one: updating of curriculum and instructional materials. Component one aims to improve the quality of distance learning curricula and the quality and availability of instructional materials. The project will support the development of new and/or upgrading of existing curricula for grades seven through twelve using FODE's standardized distance learning format. This component will also help FODE produce new instructional materials and upgrade its printing and distribution system. Component two: improving the quality of service delivery. Component two aims to improve the overall quality of services provided by FODE. Within the FODE central campus and the 20 provincial centers, interventions will be focused on improving performance through staff training, simplifications of forms and procedures, establishing and implementing an IT plan, and selecting and engaging contracted subject tutors in the provincial centers. Component three: grade eleven-twelve matriculation program expansion. Component three aims to expand FODE's existing grade eleven-twelve matriculation program into at least one secondary school in each of PNG's twenty provinces. Project support will reimburse secondary schools for the use of their facilities, provide classrooms with small equipment and instructional materials, and cover the cost of after-hours teaching by existing subject teachers in each school. Component four: improving information technology, monitoring and evaluation. Component four aims to provide FODE with appropriate Information Technology (IT) technology and train FODE staff to effectively operate that technology. It will provide funding for an information technology needs assessment, establishment of an IT plan for FODE, procurement of IT equipment, and implementation of the plan to fully integrate the use of IT into the administration, curriculum development, materials production and teaching/learning activities conducted by the organization. This component will also support several pilots and studies aimed at demonstrating potential low-cost information technologies to improve service delivery, as well as evaluating the effectiveness of project innovations.