By the end of the year, about 40 more schools will be linked to the Distance Education Network and access services provided through the system.
The Ministry of Education recently established its Distance Learning System in partnership with the Telecom Fiji Limited (TFL) using satellite communication technology.
The system will enable the Ministry to effectively reach out to remote and rural schools and provide services that often incurred extensive expenses and time when officers travel to such schools.
Three schools are currently piloting the project, which are RKS, QVS and Namosi Secondary.
The next stage of development will see 11 more schools linked up to the system. Eight of the proposed schools are primary and three secondary.
The majority of them are in the Southern Lau group, which are the most inaccessible schools. The success of linking up these schools will be a great boost to the Ministry as it will be able to offer these isolated schools services that are necessary for their development.
The 11 proposed schools are; Onolevu District; Vatoa District ; Matuatabu District; Vulaga District; Namuka-i-Lau District; Kabara District; Moce District; Komo Village School; Duavata Secondary School, Wainimakutu Secondary and Kadavu Provincial School.
The schools are selected due to the current existence of TFL’s satellite communication facilities at the school premises.
The Ministry of Education proposes to implement the system nation wide should development progresses well and in accordance to accordance to plans.
Filipe Bole
Minister for Education, National Heritage, Culture and Arts, Youth and Sports, Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment.