The Commonwealth of Learning (COL) will continue supporting Papua New Guinea’s Flexible Open and Distance Education (FODE) system to help scale a digital open schooling model for Grades 7–12. Following a successful pilot and independent evaluation in 2024, COL will assist FODE in implementing a national Technology-Enabled Learning and Open Educational Resources (TEL/OER) policy and rollout strategy for the period 2025–2028.
The project aims to reduce reliance on printed materials, enhance learner engagement, and improve cost efficiency. A hybrid model will launch in late 2025, starting with digitised content for Grades 11 and 12, and expanding to Grades 9–10 and eventually Grades 7–8 by 2027.
COL supported FODE in developing digital open schooling content for Grades 11 and 12 using a Moodle platform as a first step. A mini-pilot of the Grade 11 content received positive feedback from students and teachers. Following an independent evaluation of the support provided by COL to date in 2024, COL recently offered further support to the FODE team to finalise a technology-enabled learning and open education resources policy and related implementation strategy for the period 2025-2028, as well as a student engagement and support handbook for FODE online learners.
The Implementation Strategy operationalises the Technology-Enabled Learning and Open Educational Resources (TEL/OER) Policy, aiming to transform FODE into a national leader in flexible, equitable education. Aligned with Papua New Guinea’s National Education Plan 2020–2029 and Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4), it leverages technology and open educational resources to overcome barriers, enhance teaching, and ensure sustainable learning opportunities for all.
Roll-out of the new model will commence later in 2025 for Grades 11 and 12, with expansion of digitisation of Grade 9-10 content starting alongside continuation of the print-based version from the fourth quarter of 2025, and with digitisation of Grade 7-8 content commencing from the fourth quarter of 2026. By the end of the first quarter of 2027, FODE plans to “deliver equitable, high-quality education to Grades 9-12 via a hybrid TEL/OER system, reduce costs by 30 per cent, and position itself as a model for distance education, with plans subsequently to extend to Grades 7-8.”
Dr Tony Mays, COL’s Director: Education, observed that “for existing open schooling providers seeking to change their models of provision, there is need for a gradual process to build staff capacity, update policies and procedures, build systems, onboard students, pilot, evaluate and scale, possibly with the help of other external partners. However, for long-term sustainability, the new models of provision need to be integrated into the national budget. In the interim, staff will need to manage multiple models of provision, which will likely mean the need to recruit more support
