For Immediate Release - Monday, March 11, 1996 (Commonwealth Day)
COL Welcomes Britain's Commonwealth Day Announcement
VANCOUVER - Britain's March 11
th announcement, pledging a further three years of financial support for the Vancouver-based Commonwealth of Learning, was welcomed by the agency's Chairman, Dr. H. Ian Macdonald .
"The agency has been under a cloud of uncertainty for quite some time, regarding continued and much-needed expansion of funding to enable it to provide the level of service that has become expected of it. (UK Overseas Development Minister) Lady Chalker's statement, endorsing the 'valuable work of The Commonwealth of Learning in expanding access to education' is particularly encouraging at this time."
Britain's endorsement of COL is expected to be an influence for increased support throughout the 53-member group of nations. Its Commonwealth Day announcement signals support not only for COL, but also for the ideals of Commonwealth co-operation in general. COL is actively seeking increases in its voluntary funding base, particularly urging those countries that have not yet contributed - a concept which was endorsed by Commonwealth Heads of Government last November at its New Zealand summit.
Canada, Brunei Darussalam, India, and Nigeria were driving forces behind the creation of COL by Commonwealth Heads of Governments at their Vancouver summit in 1987. In 1994, Britain affirmed its support for COL - and its traditional support for distance education - by joining Canada (through the Canadian International Development Agency), Australia, India, and the Canadian Province of British Columbia as a sustaining financial supporter. The organisation has a mandate to widen opportunities for learning by promoting the development and sharing of distance education resources and communications technologies.
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For further information contact:
Dave Wilson,
Public Affairs Officer
The Commonwealth
of Learning
1285 West Broadway, Suite 600
Vancouver, British Columbia
Canada, V6H 3X8
Tel: (604) 775 8200
Fax: (604) 775 8210