Management

Overall management authority and decision making is highly centralised with the Department of education and FODE higher authorities in Waigani. A review of the structure and functions is under way and provincial centre administration will be advised of the outcome for implementation during the Plan period. The Provincial Government and FODE recently signed a MOA and which will remain current for the next five years, It shall be reviewed when it expires. Under the current MOA the provincial government will appropriate K20 000.00 annually for the operations of FODE.

Correspondence Study Centres.

Correspondence Study Centres are where students are enrolled through the provincial centre, pick up course materials and work on their own. The study centres only coordinate and supervise student studies. .

Flexible Open & Distance Education

Flexible Open and Distance education (FODE) is a means of delivering an alternate education to people who cannot attend the formal educational institution.

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Infrastructure and Maintenance

The Office of Flexible Open and Distance Education is to be well resourced with capital equipment to enhance its operation. The funding is to be sourced out of the Simbu Provincial Government MOA that is now in place. The Provincial Government under the recent signed MOA shall provide K20 000-00 which will be used for office equipment and furniture. The Provincial Government is also responsible to provide housing for the FODE Coordinator..

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FODE students enquiring at FODE Centre.
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Interior of Simbu PDOE, payroll office.
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Installed power supply (UPS) by ICT technical officers at Simbu PDOE payroll office.

Quality Teacher Education and Training

There is a need to increase the staffing in the Provincial Centre to cater for any increase in enrolment. The Department of Education has not addressed this in the NEP. Simbu will continue to engage primary and secondary trained teachers with FODE to assist the centre coordinating, marking and counselling.

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Potential instructors need to be identified to coordinate FODE activities in their institutions. The reform curriculum and assessment procedures necessitate training for teachers and staff in curriculum design and assessment.

Strategies and Activities

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 Increase enrolment in all the programs FODE is offering
o Carry out intensive awareness on the opportunities available through Flexible, Open and Distance Education.
o Encourage the establishments of registered and correspondence centres
o Encourage TVET centres to offer FODE courses.
o Markers at secondary schools to coordinate distant FODE centres.