Commonwealth of Learning
FOCUS ON THE PACIFIC
AUSTRALIA | FIJI | KIRIBATI | NAURU | NEW ZEALAND | PAPUA NEW GUINEA
SAMOA | SOLOMON ISLANDS | TONGA | TUVALU | VANUATU
The Commonwealth of Learning (COL) is mid-way through a six-year strategy, which requires creating national resilience by working with governments on policy and regulation; building the capacities of institutions to implement open education; and supporting learners directly with open access and skills.
This summary presents highlights from three streams of work in the Pacific region for 2021–24.
Highlights
COL supports Pacific Governments’ Strategy, for instance, via our contribution to the First Conference of Pacific Education Ministers (Auckland, New Zealand, March 2023) on the Pacific Regional Education Framework and 2030 Agenda. We have built capacities of over 140 ministry officials in the region on planning and policies for ODL.
We have built open learning capacity with Ministry and Institution Faculty teams, through multiple parallel actions via our Pacific Partnership for Open, Distance and Flexible Learning upskilling project. We have trained about 7000 teachers to help them make effective use of ODL and digital learning resources to support learners.
Significant delivery of skills to teachers and resources to learners. For example, 2021-24 saw nearly 7,000 course enrolments by learners from Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Samoa,Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.The topics varied widely, including training in soft skills and communication, office management,food processing, and organic farm management.A survey conducted among learners in Fiji and Vanuatu indicated that approximately 40 per cent of them either secured new jobs or advanced in their current positions as a result of the training.