In Papua New Guinea, many pathways for learners into secondary education do not begin in a traditional classroom. Instead, it starts through Flexible Open and Distance Education (FODE), a system that has long served as a critical bridge for those who would otherwise be excluded.
Since 2020, this collaboration has focused on building the foundations for online learning in Papua New Guinea. Through COL’s Contribution Agreements, targeted support has enabled FODE to begin that transition.
What has emerged is steady, deliberate progress — from an initial pilot in the second half of 2024 to the formal soft launch of an online platform in 2025, alongside the first steps toward migrating content for Grades 9 and 10.
That progress has been made by building on the success of previous years. Curriculum officers have been introduced to a learning management system (LMS) and to the practicalities of online course design. Course outlines for Grades 11 and 12 have been mapped, and corresponding courses on Moodle have been developed. At the same time, FODE has taken greater ownership of its digital infrastructure, moving from a COL-supported site to its own platform and configuring its own LMS.
Work has also extended to piloting Grade 11 and 12 courses, including the development of accounting modules, while strengthening the capacity of course developers and provincial teams. Provincial co-ordinators, and assistant co-ordinators, particularly in the National Capital District and Central Provincial Centres, have been supported in building information and communication technology skills and confidence to facilitate LMS-based learning. The development of the FODE Technology-Enabled Learning Handbook has helped to anchor this shift, offering a practical guide as the system develops.
In 2025, a soft launch of Grade 11 LMS courses was carried out across two provincial centres, alongside continued efforts to strengthen curriculum delivery — from student tracking to intervention strategies and more effective use of the platform. Enrolments for Grade 11 and 12 LMS courses in the Central and NCD Provincial Centres are expected to follow later in 2026.
The partnership continues to deepen, as COL and FODE reaffirmed their collaboration through ongoing Contribution Agreements, which included support for FODE’s formal soft launch of its online platform in 2025. Looking ahead to later in 2026, an MOU has been drafted between COL and the Department of Education in Papua New Guinea to sustain and build on the outcomes of this collaboration.
At the same time, this transition is not only digital but systemic. The integration of e-books in learning helps reduce reliance on costly print distribution, enabling more flexible, accessible learning materials. Reaching learners where they are — in remote, rural, and small island communities — is not a lesson for Small Island Developing States only. Still, it can be a lesson for Commonwealth countries that require blended support models. FODE is gradually closing this gap, addressing the persistent last-mile challenge.
The MOU focuses on identifying mutually beneficial avenues for co-operation and establishing a formal framework for ongoing collaboration. It also aims to strengthen open schooling by integrating blended and online learning options to complement the current print-based and contact-supported model.
For FODE, the direction is clear. The work is about extending reach, enhancing the learning experience, and ensuring that more students can access quality secondary education, regardless of their circumstances. Through its partnership with COL, the institution is steadily redefining access, not as a compromise, but as a credible and sustainable pathway that supports a truly transformative learning experience.
This story was originally published in the April 2026 issue of Connections. Read the full issue: https://hdl.handle.net/11599/6130.
