Open and Distance Learning Capacity-Building Project Objectives

Overall Goal

The Project objective is to contribute to regional integration through the development and deployment of effective, harmonised open and distance learning (ODL) in the SADC Region.

Objectives

In line with the mandate of the SADC Secretariat, the Project has four specific objectives

1. To facilitate policy development and harmonisation for ODL programmes in the SADC region
2. To facilitate capacity building in open and distance learning for ODL practitioners
3. To facilitate networking and collaboration among member states and stakeholders implementing ODL programmes
4. To facilitate gender mainstreaming and other cross cutting issues in ODL programmes

The Project has components:

1. Regional Policy Development and Strategic Planning
2. Capacity Building Open and Distance Learning

Major Outputs of the Project

In order to achieve its objective, the Project was expected to generate four main outputs namely:

Component 1: Policy development and harmonisation

1. Regional SADC ODL policy developed
• 8 ODL Studies produced on secondary, teacher, TVET and High education.
• 3 Regional conference held
• 4 ODL regional forum held
2. Regional ODL Strategic Plan and Operational Framework
• 4 strategic Planning forum held
3. Regional M and E framework for ODL
4. Regional Gender Mainstreaming Strategy for ODL

Component 2: Capacity Building

1. Regional and national Capacity to deploy and implement ODL strengthened;
2. Two Regional Centres of Specialisation established;
• ODL technical skills developed
• Networking and information sharing facilities established in two Centres of Specialisation
3. Fifty four scholarships in ODL at Certificate, Diploma and Masters levels.
4. Five regional / and Continental ODL workshops.