Advancing digital education leadership in Fiji.
The Commonwealth of Learning (COL) @COL4D is supporting the Ministry of Education in Fiji in building the capacity of teachers to develop digital education leadership skills.
A three-day training of trainers’ workshop on Commonwealth Digital Education Leadership Training in Action (C-DELTA) cdelta.col.org/ was recently held in Suva for over 30 teachers, principals and Ministry of Education officials. The objective of the training was to prepare a pool of expert trainers who could provide training across the Fiji island schools to promote digital education and help teachers integrate information and communication technologies (ICT) in teaching and learning.
Participants explored the transformative role of digital identity, responsible digital citizenship, and the creation and open sharing of digital artefacts. The training also underscored the importance of cybersecurity and responsible use of emerging technologies, including Generative Artificial Intelligence, within a pedagogical framework.
Following this and three days of deliberations, the Ministry of Education in Fiji @FijianEducation organised a national consultation on the draft ICT in education policy. The policy was developed through an evidence-based approach covering desktop research and a survey of the stakeholders in the context of the growing importance of ICTs in improving quality learning outcomes emphasised by the 2022 call of the United Nations Transforming Education Summit to prioritise digital education for all and focus on content, capacity and connectivity as the pillars for providing quality education for the public good. Over 45 key stakeholders representing various organisations in Fiji participated in the consultation and provided their input to improve the draft policy.
Speaking on behalf of the Minister of Education at the workshop opening, Deputy Secretary Primary/Secondary Mr Timoci Bure said, “The ICT in Education Policy is designed to align with the strategic policies and priorities outlined in Fiji's National Development Plan (NDP) 2025 - 2029 and Vision 2050 by focusing on equipping students with essential skills in technology, critical thinking, and problem-solving, which are crucial for fostering innovation and enhancing productivity in various sectors.”
Dr Sanjaya Mishra, COL’s Education Specialist: Technology-Enabled Learning, facilitated the two workshops and commended the Ministry of Education's initiative. He emphasised, “The ICT in education policy and the increasing access to ICT tools in Fiji will provide an enabling environment for integrating appropriate ICTs in teaching and learning.”
Dr Mishra concluded by noting that “the Ministry of Education was also aware of the need to expand Internet access in schools and that several initiatives, including the Giga initiative, were currently underway. He observed that, in the absence of sufficient local teacher capacity, the available infrastructure might not be fully utilised, and therefore highlighted the importance of ongoing professional development for teachers."
#COL4D #TechnologyEnabledLearning #DigitalEducation #EdTech #OnlineLearning #Leadership #EducationInnovation #Fiji #TeacherTraining #CapacityBuilding #FutureOfLearning #TechForGood #EducationMatters #CommonwealthOfLearning
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Malawi Validates National Guidelines on Recognition of Prior Learning.
As part of its commitment to expanding access to quality education through open and distance learning, the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) has supported the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) of Malawi in developing and validating national Guidelines on the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). These guidelines offer a clear framework to help higher education institutions in Malawi to formally recognise the knowledge, skills, and competencies that individuals have gained outside traditional academic environments.
The initiative began in 2024 with a capacity-building workshop focused on RPL and micro-credentials for open and distance learning, followed by the drafting of the guidelines. Reflecting on the process, Dr Jako Olivier, Adviser: Higher Education at COL, observed, “The development of these guidelines represents a significant step towards inclusive education. Recognition of prior learning enables more equitable access to higher education by valuing what individuals already know and can do—regardless of where or how they learned it.”
In February 2025, a validation workshop was held in Lilongwe, hosted by NCHE with support from COL. Opening the event, NCHE CEO Dr Ambumulire Phiri underscored the importance of the guidelines in creating a fair and transparent system for recognising prior learning. She noted, “Malawi’s adoption of RPL in higher education is about empowerment and breaking barriers. These guidelines will help people showcase their potential through recognition of their knowledge and skills—whether acquired formally, informally, or non-formally.” She also expressed appreciation for COL’s partnership in this initiative.
The validation workshop was facilitated by a team of regional and national experts, including Dr Orleans Mfune, an RPL specialist from Zambia; Dr Japhet Bakuwa, Director of Standards and Quality Audits at NCHE; and Dr Adamson Thengolose, Chairperson of the NCHE RPL Task Team. The event brought together key stakeholders whose inputs were consolidated into the final version of the guidelines.
The successful validation of the RPL guidelines marks a milestone in Malawi’s journey toward more inclusive and flexible higher education. It also contributes to broader efforts across the Commonwealth to recognise diverse learning pathways and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.
#COL4D #Malawi #HigherEducation
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Early-bird rate for PCF11 is extended!
The early-bird, in-person registration for the Eleventh Pan-Commonwealth Forum on Open Learning (PCF11) has now been extended until 30 April 2025.
The Commonwealth of Learning (COL) @COL4D, in partnership with the Ministry of Higher Education, as represented by its implementing agency, Botswana Open University @BotswanaOpenUni, will host PCF11 from 10 to 12 September 2025 at the Gaborone International Convention Centre at The Grand Palm Resort.
This year’s theme is “Innovative Open Education: Fostering Resilient Societies for Sustainable Economic Development.”
In a video greeting (www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEWgif-o7-k&list=PLXN-JCVb8z8BO_kzEzS_u5X2QL-IZtnTd) welcoming prospective delegates to PCF11, Professor Peter Scott @peter_scott, President and CEO of COL, remarked, “Via the Pan-Commonwealth Forum, we (COL) provide an opportunity for the open, online and flexible learning community to meet, to share knowledge, and to identify important trends and explore applications of open and distance learning. We will consider widening access, bridging the digital divide and advancing the social and economic development of communities and countries.”
The Forum will bring together researchers and practitioners from around the globe to explore applications of open and distance learning in widening educational access, bridging the digital divide, and advancing the social and economic development of communities and nations.
For more information on registering for PCF11, visit pcf11.org/registration/
#COL4D #BotswanaOpenUniversity #PCF11 #EducationForAll #LifelongLearning #EdTech #OnlineLearning #HigherEd #DistanceEducation #GlobalEducation #EdInnovation #LearningForSustainableDevelopment #InclusiveEducation #EducationConference
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