A Memorandum of Agreement has been signed between the National Information and Communications Technology Authority (NICTA) and the National Education Department, which signifies a partnership to roll out Flexible Open Distance Education (FODE) services using online platform.

This MOA comes as a result of a successful trial run by the Education Department on the Web Based School and Learning Management System earlier this year.

From this result the DoE reached out to NICTA through its Universal Access and Services Scheme, which exist to promote long term socio-economic development in PNG.

This MOA has come about extending this Service throughout the country.

The pilot project will be trialed in six locations, targeting 3,700 students at an estimated cost of K600 000, for a period of two years.

Centers to be trialed out include NCD, Central, Daru, Lae, Goroka and Tari Town.

The Project will be jointly funded by the Universal Access Fund which is administered by the UAS Scheme and DoE.

Through this agreement, NICTA will be responsible for content digitalization, broadband connectivity, training and smart devices, while the Education Department will be responsible for Information Technology Audit, Infrastructure, power, skill staff, administration, security and sustainability plan of the project.

With the governments motto of leaving no one behind, the education department through its Fode has been providing second chance to many drop outs, in the form of upgrades and standards Curriculum using Fode.

This project will provide access to students who cannot have access to formal education due to limited space, low grade point Average (GPA) or work commitment.

This also paves way for more efficient, cost effective mechanism in contrast to the traditional method of delivering FODE materials through hard copies of papers in large volumes to all centers in the country.

Read More: https://insidepng.com/ktf-strengthens-partnership-for-2023/