Photo: NICTA CEO Mr. Kila Gulo (left) and Secretary for Department of Education, Dr. Uke Kombra (right) signing the MoA on yesterday.
A MEMORANDUM of Agreement (MoA) was signed between the National Information and Communication Authority (NICTA) and the Department of Education (DoE) yesterday.
This signifies the commencement of a partnership between the two statutory authorities in rolling out Flexible Open Distance Education (FODE) services using online platform to six (6) pilot project sites in the country.
The MoA comes about as a result of an earlier successful trial run by the DoE on the web-based School and Learning Management System (SLMS) between March and May of this year in Port Moresby.
From this result, the DoE has now reached out to NICTA through its Universal Access and Services (UAS) Scheme which exists to promote long term socio-economic development in PNG.
In consultation with NICTA UAS, the MoA has come about extending this service throughout the country.
The pilot project will be trialed in six (6) locations targeting 3700 students at an estimated cost of K600, 000 for a period of two (2) years.
Centers to be trialed include; National Capital District head Office (Central), NCD head Office (NCD), Daru, Lae, Goroka and Tari Town.
This project will be jointly funded by the Universal Access Fund which is administered by the UAS Scheme and DoE.
Through this Agreement, NICTA will be responsible for content digitalization, broadband connectivity, training and smart devices while DoE will be responsible for Information Technology (IT) audit, infrastructure, power, skill staff, administration, security and sustainability plan of the project.
Chairman of NICTA Mr Noel Mobiha in his opening remarks said NICTA UAS has two boards in it; the big one which is the NICTA Board that controls everything and the small one that supports areas where people don’t go to.
He said for this project, people haven’t been there yet and since DoE wants to go there, NICTA will come with you.
“I understand that there’s about 3700 students and we would see that increase with this partnership in the end.
“Secretary and CEO, the board is more than willing to help and I think this is the start, let’s make it work and let’s assist it.”
Chief Executive Officer of NICTA Mr Kila Gulo says: “This is the start of bigger things and we will extend it from there.”
“We are very excited to partner the DoE and FODE in a government shared mission of “living no one behind through education” so we support the department in a very small way and explore a further collaboration of opportunities through, “he added.
Dr Kombra said DoE is privilege and to have the partnership with NICTA.
He assured that: “The investment that we will have or the support that we will have from NICTA will go a long way in right direction of living “no child behind.”
