| VANCOUVER/KANANASKIS - The Vancouver-based Commonwealth of Learning (COL), an international intergovernmental organisation established by Commonwealth Governments, has announced its readiness to respond to priorities that will be discussed by G8 leaders when they meet in Kananaskis this week. "COL's mission supports G8 world development objectives," said COL President and Chief Executive Officer, Professor Dhanarajan, "especially in connection with the recommendations of the Digital Opportunity Task Force (DOT Force) that leaders will review at their summit." DOT Force recommendations to the G8 heads of states will require a rapid expansion of distance learning, an area in which the Commonwealth of Learning has a specific mandate and expertise. Since its creation 14 years ago, COL has assisted Commonwealth countries to develop skills in offering open and distance learning programs. COL's programs target many of the needs of developing countries, including teacher education and upgrading, health and HIV/AIDS, training of distance education practitioners, curriculum and institutional development, fostering collaboration among institutions, the provision of information, and the application of information and communications technologies (ICTs) to education, including community radio stations delivering non-formal education, community tele-learning centres and communications networks. Dhanarajan also stated that COL strongly supports Canada's push to focus on Africa. With 19 Commonwealth countries located in West, Eastern and Southern Africa, COL has been actively engaged in a variety of initiatives and collaborative efforts to deliver distance education, and to employ it to build capacity in other sectors key to African development, and contribute to international "Education for All" goals. "Education offers the best strategy to break the cycle of poverty, misery and violence. Open and distance learning, coupled with the application of appropriate technologies, can play a central role in addressing needs in Africa. Every institution engaged in the development of the human being must be enabled to use distance and open learning. It may be the only means whereby education and training can be delivered, either for initial or replacement purposes, speedily, economically and effectively for large numbers of people, in the most efficient manner," explained Dhanarajan. COL was established by the Commonwealth heads of states for the benefit of their developing nations. Its collective expertise has also proved valuable to non-Commonwealth countries. COL has been collaborating with global organizations such as UNESCO and the World Bank as well as with regional initiatives including SchoolNet Africa, the Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA) and open and distance learning professional organizations. G8 member countries Canada and the United Kingdom are both major supporters of The Commonwealth of Learning. COL is an observer member of the DOT Force. COL is an intergovernmental organisation created by Commonwealth Heads of Government to encourage the development and sharing of open learning and distance education knowledge, resources and technologies. |