TVET IN AFRICA: INNOVATING TO MEET DEMAND

Dr. (Mrs.) Philipa Idogho, Rector of Auchi Polytechnic in Nigeria (centre) presents FSD Managers course completion certificates to Dr. S. Gabriel Eshiotse, Deputy Rector Academic (left) and Mrs. Monical L. Ugheoke, Lecturer

COL’s Flexible Skills Development programme is helping African technical and vocational training and education (TVET) institutions reach more learners and improve learning outcomes. Currently, younger people with insufficient secondary education, out-of-work adults, rural inhabitants and women with children have little access to TVET.

Flexible Skills Development activities in recent months have focused on online training, promoting awareness, working with national policy makers, developing an online community of practice and training TVET teachers to create open and distance learning (ODL) courses.

• Online training: A third group of TVET institution managers and policy makers is taking part in COL’s online course in the management of Flexible Skills Development. Meanwhile, a second cohort of teachers from TVET institutions is taking part in the Flexible Teaching and Learning online course that introduces eLearning and other flexible teaching methods. In addition to developing skills and knowledge in ODL, these courses are providing teachers and managers with valuable insight into the experience of being an online distance learner.
• Promoting awareness: Fifty members of the Commonwealth Association of Polytechnics in Africa (CAPA) took part in a one-day COL workshop about Flexible Skills Development prior to the annual CAPA conference in Kampala, Uganda in May. The focus of discussions was the benefit of using ODL methodologies in TVET and the challenges of delivering a more flexible, technology-enhanced TVET programme. The participants included principals and lecturers from TVET institutions and government representatives.
• Developing champions: By identifying 11 African TVET institutions to be “Key Institutions”, COL is creating a network of leaders who will act as champions for flexible learning approaches in TVET. COL is providing training for these institutions and assisting with ICT infrastructure; in return, these Key Institutions will support other TVET institutions in their country in their efforts to expand the reach of their programmes through ODL. At a meeting of Key Institutions in Uganda, principals reported that curriculum content is being developed for 30 technical and vocational courses that incorporate flexible learning approaches or new uses of technology.
• Community Learning Network: The Flexible Skills Development Community Learning Network now has more than 260 members. This online forum is becoming an important source of information and support for people involved in ODL approaches to TVET in Africa. To join the Community Learning Network, contact flexibleskills@col.org.
• Developing capacity in instructional design: An important part of introducing more flexible learning approaches in TVET is providing quality ODL courses. This requires a thorough understanding of the needs of distance learners and how to engage and support them. To help build capacity in this important area, COL facilitated instructional design workshops at four TVET institutions in Kenya and one in Nigeria in recent months.
• Working with national policy makers: COL hosted a workshop in Nairobi to introduce industry associations, curriculum developers and officials from the Department of Technical Education to how Key Institutions in Kenya are working to increase access and quality in TVET through flexible and blended approaches.

ONE-STOP SHOP FOR COMMUNITY RADIO IN INDIA

COL’s regional agency, the Commonwealth Educational Media Centre for Asia (CEMCA), has established a Community Radio Facilitation Centre (CCFC) to support the expansion of community radio in India. Opened in August 2011 with grant support from the Ford Foundation, CCFC is working closely with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to develop community radio stations.

While community radio continues to expand rapidly in India, many applicants find the licence application process difficult to negotiate. CCFC helps applicants navigate this process. It functions as a “one-stop shop” for community radio aspirants, applicants and licence holders, helping them to develop a solid infrastructure, build capacity and advocate for spectrum allocation. Services are available free of charge. CCFC is also developing toolkits, guidelines and other resources to support community radio stations.

CCFC is nurturing 10 grassroots leaders who will act as policy advocates for the community radio movement, and it is training 24 interns in all aspects of facilitating the licensing process.

CCFC has a toll-free telephone help line and a website that offers support and resources.

www.ccfcindia.net

CHILD-FRIENDLY SCHOOLS FOR NOMADS

While the Universal Basic Education programme has led to unprecedented expansion of primary education in Nigeria, it is not meeting the educational needs of some vulnerable groups, particularly nomadic people. Out of 9.3 million nomads in Nigeria, 3.1 million are school-age children. Their average level of literacy is less than two per cent, and two-thirds of nomadic teachers don’t possess even the prescribed minimum teaching qualification, the Nigeria Certificate in Education.

As part of its Child-Friendly Schools initiative, COL, in partnership with UNICEF, is working to overcome one of the main challenges facing nomadic education in Nigeria: teacher quality. A new programme in Adamawa State is creating an interactive radio instruction (IRI) learning programme for the continuing professional development of nomadic primary school teachers. By building the capacity of nomadic teachers on Child-Friendly Schools concepts, models and approaches, the IRI initiative aims to improve teachers’ knowledge, skills and classroom effectiveness. The ultimate aim is to deliver quality education, which is the right of every child.

The IRI programme brings together partners representing a teacher training institution (the Federal College of Education Yola), the Ministry of Education (the State Universal Basic Education Board, SUBEB) and two radio stations (ABC and Radio Gotel). COL facilitated planning and script- writing workshops earlier this year. The partners are now developing radio broadcasts and supporting print materials that will build teachers’ capacity. Given that nomadic teachers have very few opportunities for professional development, the IRI programme will meet a huge need for anywhere, anytime learning.

The IRI learning programme for nomadic teachers will start broadcasts in early 2012, targeting 448 nomadic teachers from more than 100 schools in Adamawa State. The plan is to replicate the programme in other regions of Nigeria and other countries with a need for nomadic teacher training.

www.col.org/cfs

mLEARNING FOR FARMERS IN JAMAICA

By Mr. Brad Clarke, ICT Manager, Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA)

Jamaica is embarking on several initiatives to increase the rate of technology adoption by farmers. The Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), the extension agency of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, has introduced mobile learning as part of a partnership with COL’s Lifelong Learning for Farmers (L3F) programme.

RADA has expanded its use of mobile technology to enhance the training of farmers using voice messaging. One-minute voice messages are sent to farmers’ cellular phones on specific subject matters. The system was tested successfully using a sample of 35 farmers primarily in the major potato-producing parish of Manchester. In addition, COL is assisting with the strengthening of farmer organisation capacity for profitable farming through sustainable linkages with extension, financial and marketing institutions.

Since 2009, Jamaican farmers have been receiving text message alerts to their cellular phones from RADA. The facility allows RADA to communicate quickly with its primary stakeholders registered in its database. Of the 144,000 farmers currently registered in the National Farmer Re-gistration database, approximately 75 per cent have cellular phones.

The L3F initiative has supported the transmission of over 60,000 text messages to farmers. The short, targeted text messages inform and alert farmers about issues such as:

• Pest and disease outbreaks and their management,
• Weather advisories, and
• Important and urgent activities within the agricultural sector.

An example of a weather advisory is “RADA/MOAF Flood Warning Alert: Farmers be prepared to move animals to higher ground, clear waterways, secure farm records, fertiliser and pesticides. Pass message on”. Farmers have expressed tremendous appreciation for such timely message alerts at the start of the annual hurricane season in June.

The text-messaging facility is part of a wider initiative by RADA to expand its use of technology in the delivery of its extension services and to transfer adaptable technologies to farmers. Equipped with notebook computers, GPS units and soil-testing equipment, extension officers are able to provide immediate in-field response and remedy farmers’ agricultural related problems.

RADA has also implemented a toll-free telephone line to allow farmers to provide feedback, make inquiries and speak with subject-matter specialists.

www.rada.gov.jm
www.col.org/L3Farmers

SETTING THE STAGE FOR ODL

Before breaking new ground with open and distance learning (ODL), some spadework needs to be done. An important element in COL’s work is building individual and institutional capacity in ODL. Recent examples are from India and Nigeria.

COL is providing support to the State Resource Centre, Kerala in southern India to develop a Certificate in Community Development. This includes holding a two-week workshop for 21 staff and faculty from the State Resource Centre and partner organisations. Led by Professor Santosh Panda from Indira Gandhi National Open University, the workshop provided training in ODL concepts and methodologies, curriculum design, use of technology and skills development through distance education. Workshop participants also developed a plan of action for the design, development and delivery of the Certificate in Community Development programmes, including logistics, financial requirements and time frames.

COL facilitated workshops on “Writing for Distance Learning” in May and June for educators at the National Institute for Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA) in Nigeria. Many of the 21 participants who attended the May workshop also attended the follow-up workshop in June. After learning about the main features of ODL course materials and defining a structure for NIEPA course materials, participants started work on course outlines and study units for their continuing professional development programme in educational management.

TVET TRUISM: NO LITERACY, NO LEARNING

Developing literacy is a necessary element of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) in some Commonwealth countries. COL is leading the development and introduction of literacy and numeracy modules to augment Basic Trades courses in the South Pacific.

After developing three Basic Trades courses, Working with Timber, Working with Concrete and Small Engine Maintenance, in partnership with The Open Polytechnic of New Zealand (TOPNZ), partners raised the issue of the need to help learners improve their basic literacy before taking part in these courses. Literacy challenges in Pacific Island countries are numerous and diverse. Papua New Guinea has 800 recognised languages. The illiteracy rate in the Solomon Islands is 77 per cent and 60 per cent in Vanuatu. Tuvalu has just one secondary school.

To respond to these challenges and ensure the effectiveness of TVET efforts, COL sponsored the development of a vocational literacy course by educators from seven Pacific Island countries last year. Following pilot programmes in four countries, TVET managers from those countries met in June 2011 with TOPNZ staff in Wellington, New Zealand to evaluate the pilot delivery. After discussing challenges, such as catering to a range of literacy levels, limited resources and lack of certification causing learners to be less motivated, the workshop participants collaborated to revise the learning modules and map out action plans for each country. Solomon Islands and Vanuatu have committed to rolling out the vocational literacy course in conjunction with Basic Trades training.