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Govt finalising secondary education distance...
2007-12-20 09:20:53
By Felister Peter
The government is finalising the programme for special distance learning for secondary education that is targeting those who missed it.
The Institute of Adult Education director, Lambetha Mahai, said yesterday that the programme, the first of its kind in the country`s education system, will be launched through her institute in February next year.
She said that unlike in the traditional distance adult education programme, implementation of the latest programme will be conducted through multiple communication channels that include internet, websites, video conferencing as well as postal and related channels.
``We are in the final stages of the programme launch. It will basically focus on people who missed secondary education because of several reasons including pregnancy, failure in education level examinations,`` she said.
The official said the adoption of the programme goes hand in hand with strategic and long-term government plan to improve accessibility of secondary education to the wider community.
Detailing on technicalities of the programme, Mahai said the institute would be sending subject modules to the would-be students directly to their homes.
The programme has been divided into phases, each lasting for two years. In the first phase, students would qualify for the National form two examinations while in the second phase students would qualify for the National form four examinations.
Under the programme, which is financed by the World Bank, students will have to pay a fee of 70,000/- per year.
So far, the World Bank had already provided the ministry with USD2,080m for the preparations of subject modules and the training programme.
The programme came in the wake of a sharp drop of adult education standard from 90 per cent in the year 1977 to 68 per cent this year as a result of financial constraints that faced the government after the withdraw of a potential donor, Sweden International Development Agency (SIDA).
SIDA withdrew from funding the country\'s adult education programme in 1996.
``Since then, we have not been able to provide education for distant secondary students. But because of the importance of education, this time we will make sure the programme is sustainable even after the withdrawal of World Bank funding,`` said Mahai.
Mahai said the subject modules for teaching students can also be used to teach at any school, because the same teachers from government schools are hired by IAE to work as part timers.
She said that primary school students who got pregnant while at school will now be able to continue with their studies while attending their babies at home.
So far, there are 32,000 students countrywide who are studying their secondary school education through this programme.
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