CONTRACTOR’S FINAL REPORT (Component / Contract Level) EC ...leeming-consulting.com/DLCP/Downloads/DLCP99-011... · DLCP Final Report Year 3 4 Executive Summary This is the final

DLCP Final Report Year 3

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CONTRACTOR’S FINAL REPORT (Component / Contract Level)

EC Contribution Title: Stabex 99 Component Title: ESIRP Infrastructure

Agreement Nº: : 99/011 Contract Letter Nº: 99/011 b

Country: Solomon Islands Contractor: David Leeming / RDVA (1) Date of last signature on Contract Letter: Dec 14th 2004 Date of commencement of contract: Dec 14th 2004 (2) Date of termination of contract (as per Contract Letter): Dec 13th 2006 (initial); Extension of contract to 12th Dec 2007 – Rider 2 (amended) (3) Period covered by the Report: 14th Dec 2006 – 12th Dec 2007 (4) Date of submission of the Report to the Contracting Authority: 1st Nov 2007 Date of submission of the Report to the other signatory of the Contract Letter (EU/NAO) : 1st Nov 2007

(5) For the Contractor (Signature)

David Leeming Selina Boso

Project Manager

Chairman, RDVA

(6) For the Contract Supervisor or Implementing Agency

(Name)

(Title)

(Signature)

(7) For endorsement by the Contracting Authority, National Authorising Officer, Dept. of National Planning & Aid Coordination

(Name)

(Title)

(Signature)

(8) For endorsement by the Chargé d'Affaires a.i., Delegation of the European Commission in Solomon Islands

(Name)

(Title)

(Signature) Assessment done by: (Comments in each case attached on separate page(s)) (8) Contracting Authority

________________________ (Name)

________________________ (Title)

________________________ (Signature)

Comments attached yes no (9) Other signatory specified in the Contract Letter (Supervisor)

________________________ (Name)

________________________ (Title)

________________________ (Signature)

Comments attached yes no


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Distance Learning Centres Project Final report Due date: To be submitted six weeks in advance of close of contract Report for • Solomon Islands Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development • EU Stabex 99 Program Implementation Unit David Leeming Project Manager, DLCP Technical Advisor, PFnet [email protected] Tel: +677 76396 / 26358

Selina Boso Chairman, RDVA [email protected] Tel: +677 23288


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Contents

1. References

2. Executive Summary

3. Infrastructure

4. Procurement

5. Capacity development – educational results area

6. Capacity development – technical, admin and planning

7. Exit Strategy for DLCP

8. Operational procedures

9. Performance indicators

10. Pilot projects to extend the reach of the DLC network

Annexes

1. Terms of Reference

2. Exit Strategy 3. Reporting Procedures 4. MOU with ANZ to establish bank agencies at DLCs 5. Reference documents


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Executive Summary This is the final report for the extended service contract for the Technical Manager of DLCP. The extended period is from Dec 13th 2006 to Dec 12th 2007. The conclusions and recommendations of the MTR led to the following TOR: 1. Manage the Work Plan and Budget for DLCP incorporated in the 2007 GPE; 2. Establishment of a distance education network consisting of 9 DLCs nationwide; 3. Enhance access of rural communities to information and communication; 4. To collaborate in the development of a Distance and Flexible Learning Policy and

Strategy for both formal and informal education; 5. To contribute to the SIEMIS by helping to create an online presence; 6. To develop an exit strategy in collaboration which will transfer ownership from

PFNet to MEHRD for inclusion in the 2008 Budget; 7. To develop at least two small pilot projects that will demonstrate to institutional

stakeholders and school communities the educational opportunities that the DLCP’s offer;

8. Evaluate changing technology and propose options for use; particularly in respect of low cost lap tops and community based FM radio

In relation to the above, progress made during the extended contract is as follows: 1. The DLCP has a Workplan with activities and budget incorporated into GPE2; 2. 7 DLCs are operational (Oct07) with the 8th ready for deployment in Nov07 and

the 9th delayed due to the tsunami. This is due for completion early 2008; 3. The DLCs have been deployed using a participatory approach with representative

village management committees to ensure community access. As of Oct 31 2007 791 registered users are reported across the 7 existing sites.

4. A Technical Working Group on DFL and eLearning (TWG) has been created, encompassing the development of a DFL and eLearning policy/strategy and DLCP exit strategy. This has been making steady progress with 3-weekly meetings.

5. Connectivity is now in place and the Principals of the host schools are being given training. The main requirement is for data flows to be established; initially this is now achievable via email;

6. An exit strategy has been drafted by DLCP and submitted to the TWG. The strategy includes mainstreaming the utilisation of the DLC network across the MEHRD (and SICHE and TVET sector). The exit strategy document is attached in the annex;

7. DLCP has collaborated with SPC and other regional organisations on the One Laptop per Child (OLPC) programme. Trials for the OLPC Oceania are incorporated in a pilot project utilising wireless technology to bridge Bekabeka DLC and Batuna RTC in Western Province. This is almost complete at time of writing.

8. DLCP has evaluated low cost laptop technology in addition to the OLPC model. DLCP has also collaborated with the UNDP’s Isabel Province Development Project (IPDP) to assess the linkage of the Guguha DLC into the Isabel rural e-governance system, which comprises 6 email stations equipped with FM radio sets.

The TWG has identified areas where there is best potential for quality DFL service provision via the DLCs. Progress has been made in each of these areas. 1. University of South Pacific (USP) and Papua New Guinea (UPNG) Open College 2. The School of Education / Teacher professional development


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3. TVET – linked to the upcoming major TVET programme 4. Literacy

The TWG has is now also working on sustainability issues for the DLCs. As indicated in this report, these issues include the following: 1. Financial sustainability 2. Sustainability of human resources and capacities 3. Institutional sustainability DLCP featured in a major international conference on the Internet, PacINET 2007, in Honiara in August. The project largely organised the event’s ICT in Education Day. Other capacity development included:

1. DLCP Supervisor’s conference 2. Commonwealth of Learning – organised workshop on Literacy, Livelihoods

and Distance Learning 3. Transfer of technical skills to PFnet and Ministry ICT personnel 4. Transfer of eLearning and DFL policy management to the TWG

The report contains data on the initial usage and financial performance of the operating DLCs. This proves the utility of the online monitoring system. A major linkage was agreed with ANZ bank to operate rural banking via DLCs, initially at Arnon Atomea. The annex includes the detailed Exit Strategy and all other documentation is available online via the project website. References are given.

The author would like to take this opportunity to give thanks to the many people who have made these results possible. • The Ministry, who with truly visionary leadership have brought

forward this pioneering work in the region • Their partners, the European Union for financing and enabling

the project • The hard working programme implementation and

management teams • The staff of DLCP, RDVA and PFnet, particularly in

remembrance of the late PFnet Manager, Randall Biliki, who had made a huge contribution to the success of the project

• The rural schools and communities hosting the DLCs, without whose dynamic commitment the partnership in development would never succeed

• All the specialists and collaborators who have helped us!


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1. Reference documents This, and other reports referred to in this document, can be accessed in electronic format on the World Wide Web at the restricted-access page: www.peoplefirst.net.sb/DLCP/documents.asp

username “EU” password “docs”

A list is included in the annex. Key documents include the Year 2 report and Progress Report 10 (June 2007). The project website is www.peoplefirst.net.sb/DLCP and some PowerPoint slideshows and other multimedia resources can be downloaded from there. The SchoolNet website address, with resources for the DLCs, the Moodle learning management system and online monitoring system is at www.schoolnet.net.sb

2. Background and summary of progress This is the final report for the extended service contract for the Technical Manager of DLCP, Rider 2, signed by Head of Delegation on 8th Dec 2006 and the NAO on 11th Dec 2006. The extended period is from Dec 13th 2006 to Dec 12th 2007. The Technical Manager, David Leeming, was appointed by a Direct Consultation contract to manage the RDVA/PFNet implementation of the DLCP on behalf of the MEHRD on December 14th 2004 for a period of two years. The project suffered considerable procurement delays, and only one DLC was operational by the end of this period. However, considerable progress was made in recruitment, capacity development, educational applications planning and implementation of information systems that laid the foundations for a speedy implementation of the remaining outcomes in 2007. The results of the first two years of the contract were reported in the Annual Report for Year 2. The Mid Term Review of Stabex 99 held in August/October 2006 noted the procurement delays and recommended that the Technical Manager contract be extended during 2007 in order to complete the project with 9 DLC’s operational throughout the country. On the basis of this, Rider 2 was issued to extend the contract for a further 9 months spread over 2007, ending on 12th December 2007. The conclusions and recommendations taken on board for the 9 month extension of the DLCP Manager led to a terms of reference, attached in the annex, with objectives that can be summarised as follows : 9. Manage the Work Plan and Budget for DLCP incorporated in the 2007 GPE;

10. Establishment of a sustainable pilot distance education network consisting of 9

DLCs nationwide;

11. Enhance access of rural communities, via DLCs in Community High Schools, to information and communication through ICT;


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12. To collaborate with MEHRD/PIU in the development of a Distance and Flexible Learning Policy and Strategy for both formal and informal education;

13. To contribute to the SIEMIS by helping to create an online presence for the Ministry of Education linked to database management systems and the rural communications network;

14. To develop an exit strategy in collaboration with MEHRD and PIU which will transfer ownership from PFNet to MEHRD for inclusion in the 2008 Budget;

15. To develop at least two small pilot projects that will demonstrate to institutional stakeholders and school communities the educational opportunities that the DLCP’s offer;

16. Evaluate changing technology and propose options for use; particularly in respect of low cost lap tops and community based FM radio

Progress made during the extended contract, i.e. the subject of this report, can be summarised as follows referring to the numbered list above: 9. Completed. The DLCP has a Workplan with activities and approved budget

incorporated into and lasting the duration of GPE2;

10. Mostly completed. 7 DLCs are currently operational (Nov 2007) with the 8th site (Kati, Temotu) ready for deployment in November with all materials pre-shipped successfully to site and building work completed. The 9th, (Sasamungga, Choiseul), has been delayed due to the catastrophic Richter Scale 8.1 earthquake and tsunami on April 2nd 2007, that destroyed materials and interrupted construction at Sasamungga. This is due for completion by first quarter 2008 under the continuing DLCP Work Plan;

11. The DLCs have been deployed using a participatory approach with representative village management committees to ensure community access. Data in this report substantiates. For instance, as of Oct 31 2007 820 registered users are reported by the online monitoring system across the 7 existing sites.

12. The DLCP has collaborated with the Coordination Team to establish a Technical Working Group on DFL and eLearning (TWG), encompassing the development of a DFL and eLearning policy/strategy and DLCP exit strategy. This has been making steady progress with 3-weekly meetings. A COL was workshop held on Oct 2-4 2007 to provide guidance on the policy development. Thus, this task has been successfully handed over to MEHRD with DLCP continuing to provide input as a member of the TWG. With assistance from the Commonwealth of Learning and USP’s PRIDE programme, progress is being made on the DFL / eLearning policy;

13. Informal discussions have been held by DLCP but this task is not yet implemented. However, connectivity is now in place and the Principals of the host schools are being given training. The main requirement is for data flows to be established; initially this is now achievable via email;


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14. An exit strategy has been drafted by DLCP and submitted to the TWG, which has a sub-committee working on it. Implementation of the strategy is now a major focus. The strategy includes mainstreaming the utilisation of the DLC network across the MEHRD (and SICHE and TVET sector). The exit strategy document is attached in the annex;

15. Throughout 2007 DLCP has been engaging with the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) and other regional organisations on a major initiative to access the One Laptop per Child (OLPC) programme and bring it to the region. As part of the DLCP educational pilots component, a regional OLPC Trials has been proposed (available - footnote 4). Furthermore, a second pilot utilising wireless technology to bridge Bekabeka DLC and Batuna RTC in Western Province is almost complete at time of writing. These two pilot initiatives serve to demonstrate how the DLC network can be affordably extended to additional educational sites, including the TVET sector, and beyond to reach the most remote and rural communities and especially school-age children who may not even be attending school. A full program to support these extensions and to evaluate the effectiveness of the pilots is incorporated in the activity, which can continue under the DLCP continuing Work Plan with separate TA as required provided via the collaborating partners;

16. DLCP has evaluated low cost laptop technology in addition to the OLPC model. One such technology, the INK-Media laptop (www.ink-media.com) offers more flexibility for procurement and is well suited for expanding the capacity of the DLCs at much reduced cost compared to standard laptop technology. The DLCP has established a dialogue with the company and samples are expected in early 2008. DLCP has also collaborated with the UNDP’s Isabel Province Development Project (IPDP) to assess the linkage of the Guguha DLC into the Isabel rural e-governance system, which comprises 6 email stations equipped with FM radio sets. It is expected this will lead to results in 2008.

The MTR noted “the education result area of the DLCP cannot be achieved in the time frame. It is a long term goal that needs a long term commitment. However, in the short term there is a need to demonstrate the potential of this approached through a few carefully developed demonstrations projects. These projects need to be coordinated with other existing and planned developments in the education sector. The TVET sub-sector is a case in point.” The TWG has identified areas where there is best potential for quality DFL service provision via the DLCs. Progress has been made in each of these areas. 5. University of South Pacific (USP) and Papua New Guinea (UPNG) Open College

Both of these organisations have locally relevant distance mode programmes including technical, bridging and tertiary degree-level study. USP now have 350 (mostly print-based) distance education courses, a new Moodle learning management system (DLCP has also deployed a Moodle LMS), and aims to have 600 (75%) of their courses available in ICT-based distance mode by end of 2010. USP courses are well known to Solomon Islanders, and thus demand is pre-existing. USP is already piloting enrolments at more than two of the current DLCs and has collaborated to train the DLC Supervisors to facilitate enrolment and study via distance.


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UPNG Open College have a full spectrum of courses that are also very locally relevant, that link basic literacy training through community studies with technical and vocational content focusing on livelihoods, through to tertiary and degree level studies. The latter includes foundation year for technical/scientific subjects such as nursing. UPNG has (or is to) sign an MOA with the SICHE-Distance Education Centre, with intent to open an office and base an instructional designer there. They have also held discussions with DLCP and fully intended to make their distance programmes available via the DLCs. The need is to sign service agreements and formalise the arrangements for these service providers to support their courses via the DLCs. This may include some capacity development for the host communities of the DLCs, with the training of local tutors, etc. Through the TWG, the Ministry has recognised that there is considerable scope to improve the efficiency of training by providing local opportunities for learners to study via distance. The extreme case is with tertiary qualifications, where otherwise the learner must spend 3 years overseas at great expense. The Ministry needs therefore to consider changes to make the most of this opportunity. The demand is also high in the communities for study, especially USP courses which are the first to become available through the DLCs. Enrolments are being recorded with teachers and members of the public self-funding; however there are also reports that many potential learners are not able to enrol because of lack of finance. Sources of scholarships suited to distance-mode studies need to be identified and made available through the Ministry and the DLCs.

6. The School of Education is considering the incorporation of distance support, using DLCs, for teachers in training under the current programme of SoE. The support can include tutorial support and interactive activities integrated into the short self-learning courses that trainees are required to study in their host schools.

7. A TVET elearning strategy has been developed in line with the Ministry’s TVET Policy. DLCP has trained an online mentor (Jerry Kenny, Deputy Head, Vanga RTTC) and linked Batuna RTC to the network to develop a model to extend support to RTCs. This activity requires completing, with a focus on capacity development at Batuna RTC to use the RTC to improve education and training. DLCP has consulted with providers such as Fiji Institute for Technology, who expressed an interest in developing ways of delivering their courses via RTCs with the aid of partnering DLCs. This model can be developed to extend the curriculum of the RTC and extend RTC services into the community, as per the TVET Policy.

8. Literacy A workshop was held by Commonwealth of Learning with DLCP collaboration, to investigate how literacy, TVET and DFL can work together. This highlighted the potential for distance support for literacy training. A recent report by COESI/ASPBAE has highlighted the urgent need for improved literacy training especially in rural areas.

The TWG has is now also working on sustainability issues for the DLCs. As indicated in this report, these issues include the following: 4. Financial sustainability. The DLCP has developed a strategy described in the Exit

Strategy, that incorporates a business plan with diverse pay-for-use services and linkages to third party applications to maximise revenue opportunity for the DLCs. In the initial months of operation, revenues have been promising, with up to 70%


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of the monthly bandwidth cost being collected in one month. One example of a linkage that creates synergy and thus sustainability is to the ANZ’s rural banking operations. With the addition of service agreements for education providers and increased demand as local skills grow via training, plus scholarships to increase uptake of distance learning, these early results can be built on;

5. Sustainability of human resources and capacities. This involves good management to retain skilled personnel, building partnerships with the host schools, budgeting for the DLC Supervisors’ salaries in 2009 and tight monitoring and reporting;

6. Institutional sustainability. This involves identifying a “home” for the DLC network after the project. The DLCP is currently implemented by the Rural Development Volunteers Association. A suitable home might include a section of the Ministry or an existing or new NGO or external organisation with the required capacities and linkage to the Ministry. This administrative centre should cater also for growth and innovation, and coordinate the educational services offered by the DLCs.

3. INFRASTRUCTURE The following 7 sites are fully open and operating (starting at dates shown) with the following completed: § Building work completed § VSAT dish installed and connection tested § Solar power installed and tested § Computers installed and tested § Operational training for the Supervisor sufficient to start and be autonomous § Community awareness (including school teachers and students) § Committee briefing on operational matters, reporting and financial system Links are provided to news releases and photographs on the project website. The main link, which includes all the sites and related news announcements, can be found by navigating to “About the project” from www.schoolnet.net.sb. Pamua (17th Sept 2006) http://www.peoplefirst.net.sb/news/News.asp?IDnews=6929 Vuranimala (7th April 2007) http://www.peoplefirst.net.sb/NEWS/News.asp?IDnews=7707 Also it has been officially handed over on 8th June 2007: http://peoplefirst.net.sb/news/News.asp?IDnews=7877 Guguha (14th April 07) http://www.peoplefirst.net.sb/news/News.asp?IDnews=7753 http://www.peoplefirst.net.sb/DLCP/isabel.htm Bekabeka (2nd May 2007 http://www.peoplefirst.net.sb/news/News.asp?IDnews=7827 Henua (2nd June 2007) http://www.peoplefirst.net.sb/DLCP/renbel.htm http://peoplefirst.net.sb/news/News.asp?IDnews=7875


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Arnon Atomea (11th June 2007) http://www.peoplefirst.net.sb/DLCP/malaita.htm Avuavu (Sept 2007) http://www.peoplefirst.net.sb/DLCP/guadalcanal.htm http://www.peoplefirst.net.sb/news/News.asp?IDnews=7887 http://www.peoplefirst.net.sb/news/News.asp?IDnews=7995

Monthly reports from each of the centres are stored in hard copy and electronic copy by DLCP at the PFnet office. Status of sites not open yet Kati § Building completed sufficiently to install solar and equipment (see photograph at

this link, which is already 2 months old and thus more progress made http://www.peoplefirst.net.sb/DLCP/Temotu.htm

§ VSAT antenna mount has been constructed § All materials safely shipped to site in Sept. Everything else is ready.

Sasamungga § The building work is complete to stage 2 (posts and frame to roof) § Timber cutting complete to stage 2 § Although the tsunami wave of 2nd April caused waters to rise to above head height

on the posts, there is apparently no damage to the structure. Most of the cut timber was luckily stored at the milling site away from the coast. The only effects are as follows: § Some hardware materials washed away or damaged. Replacement and

shipping costs are SBD 30,000. It has been agreed with PIU to finance this through the DLC Grants to Schools budget, and if there is any shortfall the tsunami relief fund may also be accessible.

§ A small amount of timber, replacement value charged by contractor is only SBD 1,300

§ The two contractors (timber and building) submitted additional costs claims due to the tsunami. These were: § Timber contractor $1,300 plus extra oil and fuel to re-cut lost timbers § Building contractor $2,000 for delays and costs. § Both of the above claims were evaluated by the Sasamungga committee who

recommended that they were paid (additionally to their signed contracts). The recommendation was approved by the MEHRD (ref. email from Tim Ngele 5th June 07).

§ Building work is therefore continuing. Shipment of remaining materials will be achieved in November.

4. Procurement The main solar power and IT equipment arrived at customs. A detailed testing procedure was agreed with PMU in advance and put into place. The equipment passed the tests successfully and provisional and final acceptance test certificates were signed and issued to CBS (solar power) and DataNets (computers) respectively. The invoicing procedures were completed and payment certificates submitted to PIU for the PS to sign as appropriate.


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A test report with all associated records and results was written for each of the two supply contracts. A copy is held at the NAO’s Office with the contract documents and contains the acceptance certificates. DLCP also holds a copy. Another supply contract for “Supply of Networking equipment” was signed with eWorld limited, value $166,000, following a restricted tender and evaluation that was submitted to and approved via PMU (who hold copy of evaluation document). All materials were received and provisional acceptance was granted. In this case incorrect advice was obtained from PMU, who treated it as a specific commitment requiring an NAO contract. This was discovered after the change in personnel. The EC Office has agreed to correct the contracting retrospectively and pay the supplier, and this is being done at the time of writing.

5. Capacity development – Education Results Area A number of significant activities took place with respect to capacity development for distance learning. • Workshops run by the USP Centre (IT Officer, Mark Dennis) at Pamua and

Vuranimala DLCs to train the DLC Supervisors and raise awareness in the community and school about USP courses through the centres.

• Capacity in the respect of awareness and commitment within the Ministry and DLCP was also raised via discussions with UPNG Open College.

• A Workshop was held by Commonwealth of Learning in June, on “Making Literacy, Livelihoods and Distance Learning work together”. A report is available (see references). All DLC Supervisors attended.

• DLCP has held meetings with the School of Education on the potential of the DLCs in teacher professional development. This subject is regarded as a priority area for the Ministry and has is being followed up via the TWG.

• Similar exploratory meetings have been held with Curriculum Development Centre, with regard to piloting some initial steps in the use of eLearning materials linked to the curriculum

• In 2006, an “eLearning strategy for TVET” was developed in collaboration with the Solomon Islands Association of Rural Training Centres (SIARTC) and Vanga Teacher Training College, the main teacher training institution for TVET. Development of this theme has continued during 2007.

USP and UPNG Open College Both of these organisations have locally relevant distance mode programmes including technical, bridging and tertiary degree-level study. USP now have 350 (mostly print-based) distance education courses, a new Moodle learning management system (DLCP has also deployed a Moodle LMS), and aims to have 600 (75%) of their courses available in ICT-based distance mode by end of 2010. USP courses are well known to Solomon Islanders, and thus demand is pre-existing. USP is already piloting enrolments at more than two of the current DLCs and has collaborated to train the DLC Supervisors to facilitate enrolment and study via distance. UPNG Open College have a full spectrum of courses that are also very locally relevant, that link basic literacy training through community studies with technical and vocational content focusing on livelihoods, through to tertiary and degree level


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studies. The latter includes foundation year for technical/scientific subjects such as nursing. UPNG has (or is to) sign an MOA with the SICHE-Distance Education Centre, with intent to open an office and base an instructional designer there. They have also held discussions with DLCP and fully intended to make their distance programmes available via the DLCs. The need is to sign service agreements and formalise the arrangements for these service providers to support their courses via the DLCs. This may include some capacity development for the host communities of the DLCs, with the training of local tutors, etc. Through the TWG, the Ministry has recognised that there is considerable scope to improve the efficiency of training by providing local opportunities for learners to study via distance. The extreme case is with tertiary qualifications, where otherwise the learner must spend 3 years overseas at great expense. The Ministry needs therefore to consider changes to make the most of this opportunity. The demand is also high in the communities for study, especially USP courses which are the first to become available through the DLCs. Enrolments are being recorded with teachers and members of the public self-funding; however there are also reports that many potential learners are not able to enrol because of lack of finance. Sources of scholarships suited to distance-mode studies need to be identified and made available through the Ministry and the DLCs. USP Workshops for DLC Supervisors and host communities In January, Mark Dennis of USP Centre ran a workshop at the Pamua DLC to train the Supervisor in the courses available and how to support students in enrolling and studying. As a result, more than 23 people including many teachers are now involved in some sort of USP related study including in the Continuing Education and DFL mode of study. A report on this activity can be found in the annex of Progress Report 10. In summary, the USP regards the DLCs as a very viable and practicable way of extending their services, and the practicalities have all been explored and solutions found. After a subsequent workshop in Vuranimala in March, the DLC is now reporting that eight people have initiated enrolment. The USP orientation was attended by all the village people, staff of the nearby schools, and the students as well. The Director of the USP Centre, Dr. Glynn Galo and ICT Officer Mark Denis talked about the DFL. The orientation covered: § The definition of DFL and its significance of it in DLCP § The range and description of programmes that the USP offers through DFL § How USPnet can support the students at Vuranimala § DLC operator training for intranet, download manager, operator training. Questions were asked by the public, and were answered. Other DLCs are also indicating interest. Further data can be seen in the section on performance indicators, below. Preparing for UPNG Open College to deliver their courses via DLCs A meeting was held between Dr Abdul Mannan, Executive Director, UPNG Open College and DLCP to discuss making their courses available through the DLCs. It was agreed that the practicalities were clear, and the current system employed in their own centres would be appropriate and the two parties should proceed to facilitate. Institutionally, UPNG has first to set up a campus in Solomon Islands, probably in association with SICHE. A recent announcement was made in the media about this.


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The latest news is that the College is still negotiating matters with SICHE. The practicalities of delivering UPNG OC courses is similar to USP, and concern a long experience with the College’s 15 distance centres in PNG provincial towns. There is no doubt that the same system can work through the DLCs. Costs are also reasonable for rural persons. This is held out by the immediate self-funded enrolments at Pamua. Course units for UPNG courses start at about SND 400 and a full degree course as little as $16,000. Sponsorship programmes should be sought that target the highly efficient distance mode. Service agreements need to be negotiated with both USP and UPNG including how the DLC usage is charged and any commissions to the centres towards sustainable revenues. Following the signing of an MOA, it now seems likely that the Open College will manage the delivery of courses through DLCs from an office at SICHE’s Distance Education Centre (DEC). A full report on the discussions with UPNG Open College are given in Progress Report 10, annex 2 (see references in annex). Making Literacy, Livelihoods and Distance Learning work together DLCP was contacted by John Bartram and Jenny Williams for the Commonwealth of learning, who organised a workshop in Honiara in June. DLCP was seen as a key partner and helped plan for the workshop, which was held on 18th-22nd June. About 30 people attended, including all DLC Supervisors, DLCP and PFnet project staff along with representatives from the Ministry’s TVET Division, the Literacy Association of Solomon Islands, the Head and Deputy Head of Vanga Rural Teacher Training College and Solomon Islands Association of Rural Training Centres, churches, the Literacy Network, World Vision and others. As a result of this workshop it was agreed that: • The Ministry would take the lead in creating a “national literacy approach” and a

literacy policy for the Ministry • A Literacy (ICT) network should be created, with a website and email list, to be led

by DLCP (Paul Tauriki of Guguha DLC volunteered) • There should be joint development of materials and methods to provide literacy

training support by distance, including via the DLCs • The Ministry would formalise the application to join the Virtual University of the

Small States of the Commonwealth (VUSSC) of COL, with Bernard Rapasia being nominated as the COL Focal Point for Solomon Islands. Mr Rapasia has since been a key and very active member of the TWG.

A full report is available via the online references (see list in annex). Special emphasis on Literacy A report by the Coalition on Education Solomon Islands (COESI) in collaboration with the Asian South Pacific Bureau of Adult Education (ASPBAE) in Oct 2007 (Solomon Star, 30th Oct) has highlighted the need for prioritisation in literacy training. The report revealed that from their sample, the literacy rate in rural areas (especially) is much lower than the official figures suggest. In some areas they recorded semi-non-


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literacy rates of as high as 55% (Malaita). They recommend that the government takes urgent action to address the crisis in youth engagement in learning. In particular, that:

1. A second chance education strategy should be developed for out of school youth and adults incorporating literacy, vocational and life skills;

2. No child should be excluded from basic education on the basis of geography; 3. Special effort should be made to improve opportunities and access for girls; 4. A policy of continuous improvement of participation of young people in learning

should be adopted, with reference to the quality and relevance of education to people’s lives, community commitment/awareness, infrastructure, reciprocal arrangements between learning institutions and communities, and other areas of importance.

This report brings to the fore the potential of the DLC network in contributing to literacy skills improvements in rural areas. Teacher Professional Development The School of Education (SoE) is considering the incorporation of distance support, using DLCs, for teachers in training under the current programme of SoE. In this programme, 1800 teachers in batches of 250-300 will receive a six week training course in Honiara followed by in-school training supported by provincial workshops. Three short training courses are to be studied during the in-school component. The TWG has recognised the potential for DLCs to support teachers in training, using a range of synchronous and asynchronous tools to receive support during the in-school component. The TWG is currently engaging with SoE to include interactions in the self-learning courses and to pilot this as soon as possible. The above follows from a meeting that was held between DLCP and SoE at the School of Education on 22nd May. The meeting’s main conclusions and actions were: § Use of DLCs can be linked to the current SoE program to train 1800 teachers over

a fixed period. § For instance, teacher trainees near the Centres can be given computer training and

then receive mentoring and tutorial support concerning the short courses studied in service.

§ For this to take place, DLCP can assist with improving connectivity at SoE (CDC could also benefit) via a best solution with VSAT or Telekom as options for further assessment. A budget item is included in the 2007/8 DLCP WP. Training SoE staff to use the range of Internet-based communication and tuition tools would also be required.

§ The SoE can start by providing lists of teachers included in the first batch of trainees (and subsequent ones) who are located near DLCs, and can then start priority computer training (at the DLCs).

§ The opportunities to upgrade teachers via USP and UPNG OC courses including degree level, are great. The cost savings over sending someone overseas are great. UPNG degree courses can be studied in 3 years for as little as $16,000.

§ SoE could start by reviewing USP and UPNG courses available via distance and approving any that meet requirements. Teachers in need of upgrading could then be matched to approved courses and sponsorship found.

§ There may well be scholarship opportunities via AusAid and others. AusAid’s Review of Long term Training in Solomon Islands, carried out in 2005 (ref. AusAid,


16

Australian High Commission) is of relevance here. A consultation was made with DLCP and the distance mode was of interest

A detailed report of this meeting is included in the annex of Progress Report 10 (see list of references in the annex of this report). Curriculum Development and DLCP DLCP held three meetings at the Curriculum Development Centre (CDC) to explore the potential of eLearning linked to the national curriculum via the DLCs. The meeting outcomes included: § Agreement that CDC should be in the driving seat regarding eLearning

development and usage so as to link it to the delivery and development of the national curriculum

§ Incorporation of ICT into the curriculum is already part of the CDC review process § The proposed OLPC pilot (see section below) includes an opportunity to build

eLearning capacity in the CDC with possible funding from the MacArthur Foundation via partners including the American Museum of Natural History

§ With the advent of ICT and computers in schools, which is happening sometimes without any policy guidance (i.e. donated computers direct to schools), and the availability of DLCs and a model that can be replicated in more rural schools, CDC should consider how it can take more of a driving seat in the use of the ICT to improve curriculum delivery and integrate this into curriculum development

§ CDCs possible role in a pilot project proposed under DLCP in which OLPC laptops would be introduced into communities in Marovo Lagoon; this contains a proposal to create an eLearning development capacity with some external funding (from McArthur Foundation via AMNH)

§ At the meeting the CDC were fully briefed on DLCP progress and the pilot proposal (as described further down in this document).

§ Curriculum Development Officer Phillip Samani has been named as the focal point for this activity. At time of writing, it was agreed to start by exploring simple eBooks in pdf format, to be tested via the OLPC/Batuna pilot project.

Technical and Vocational Education and Training A TVET elearning strategy has been developed in line with the Ministry’s TVET Policy. DLCP has trained an online mentor (Jerry Kenny, Deputy Head, Vanga RTTC) and linked Batuna RTC to the network to develop a model to extend support to RTCs. This activity requires completing, with a focus on capacity development at Batuna RTC to use the RTC to improve education and training. DLCP has consulted with providers such as Fiji Institute for Technology, who expressed an interest in developing ways of delivering their courses via RTCs with the aid of partnering DLCs. This model can be developed to extend the curriculum of the RTC and extend RTC services into the community, as per the TVET Policy. The OLPC/Batuna pilot (described below) includes connecting an important RTC at Batuna in Marovo lagoon to Bekabeka DLC, providing the connectivity and a small computer centre. Jerry Kenny has been involved in the local consultations and thus the link to Vanga is strengthened. For a full report of this development, please see the Annual Report for Year 2 (available online – see reference list in annex). The potential of the DLCs to strengthen RTCs and extend their services into the community, linked to external


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service providers such as FIT, should be seen in the light of the upcoming TVET Programme under the EU assistance.

6. Capacity development (technical, administrative and planning) Other capacity development in 2007 included: • DLC Supervisors attended the major regional Internet conference, PacINET 2007,

which was held in Honiara in August. Four DLCP staff gave presentations and facilitated side-event workshops. DLCP was instrumental in organising an ICT in Education Day at the conference, featuring USP research into the subject, collaborating specialists from Taiwan on cyber-schooling, DLCP and the OLPC Oceania initiative led by SPC.

• The 2007 DLC Supervisor’s Workshop was held over 10 days as a conference to share experience and best practice, following on from PacINET. This also included 2 days additional technical training from USP Centre. A report is available 9see annex).

• A Technical Working Group on Distance and Flexible Learning (DFL) and eLearning was launched by the Ministry in June, which meets every three weeks and encompasses many divisions and partners including Literacy, Curriculum Development, Primary and Secondary, SICHE’s School of Education (SoE) and Distance Education Centre (DEC), DLCP, RDVA/PFnet, USP Centre, Pacific Open Health Learning Centre and with other specialist observers including UPNG open College and Commonwealth of Learning.

• A workshop was held in October by the Commonwealth of learning on Policy development, in which DLCP and members of the TWG participated. The TWG also benefited from other workshops including one facilitated by USP’s PRIDE programme, also on policy development. (no report available at time of writing – contact the TWG if required)

• DLCP and PFnet local staff have progressively been taking on DLCP management and implementation roles so as to be self sufficient after the International DLCP Manager’s contract ends. The PFnet staff are now fully self sufficient in the deployment of VSAT sites and DLC equipment.

PacINET 2007 PacINET 2007 was the Sixth Annual Conference and AGM of the Pacific Islands Internet Society PICISOC. PacINET is the prime event in the region in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and this year, it has proven an even bigger success. Official WebSite: http://www.picisoc.org/tiki-index.php?page=PacInet+2007 PacINET is a regional conference for practitioners, developers, researchers and those interested in ICT from all sectors to exchange information on the system design, enabling technologies, and anecdotal experiences related to the use of ICT in the Pacific Islands. This year it was held at FFA, in Honiara, Solomon Islands, attended by more than 300 participants, with about 100 from outside Solomon Islands, and opened by the Solomon Islands Prime Minister, Hon. Manasseh Sogavare. DLCP also contributed to the conference:

• largely organised the ICT in Education Day • contributed to the organising of the conference


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In addition, all the DLC Supervisors attended as an opportunity to raise awareness of technology development and to network with regional experts and practitioners. Themes and topics covered at PacINET 2007 included e-Health Initiatives in the Pacific, Building Connected Communities, An Open Source World, e-Government and the Pacific, Internet: Safety and Security, ICT in Education, the VoIP (R)Evolution, IPv6, Women in Technology and New Media. Guest speakers at PacINET 2007 included John Crain, ICANN CTO, Dr Jimmie Rogers, Director General of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), Latif Ladid - President, IPv6 Forum and Karen Rose, Internet Society Director of Education and Programs. Dr Vinton G. Cerf , considered one of the fathers of the Internet and Vice President at Google, had also prepared a keynote message to participants via video. The whole conference was broadcasted live and thus was attended by people all around the world, especially during the launch of the One Laptop Per Child Project (OLPC) in Oceania. The conference is held in a different country each year to help spread ICT knowledge and developments throughout the region. "It's good to see a lot of local IT people and other interested people coming in to attend the conference," said PICISOC Chairman. The major contribution DLCP made to the conference was organising the ICT in Education Day, which was opened by Barnabas Anga, Permanent Secretary, MEHRD. This consisted of a full day’s series of presentations and demos spread over four sessions with follow-up hands-on training workshops over following days. The aim was to discuss, promote and demonstrate the use of ICT as an effective and affordable approach to improving education services in the Pacific region, especially where learners live in remote rural areas and scattered islands. The four sessions were: • Educational ICT in the Pacific • Cyber Schooling in theory and practice • SchoolNets in the Pacific • One Laptop Per Child Oceania Initiative DLCP staff gave five presentations on the ICT in Education Day. These were: • Peter Pitia, Project Officer, Introduction to DLCP • Avis Mamau, Pamua DLC, School and community response (part 1) • Phillip Pukefenua, Bekabeka DLC, School and community response (part 2) • David Leeming, DLCP Manager, Early indicators, Sustainability and Mainstreaming • David Leeming, DLCP Manager, Demonstration included in the high-profile One

Laptop Per Child OLCP Oceania panel chaired by Dr Jimmie Rodgers, DG of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC)

Ghislain Hachey, who had worked as a CUSO volunteer with PFnet and developed the online monitoring system for DLCP, also gave a presentation on the open source monitoring system. DLCP also facilitated a workshop on OLPC, and co-facilitated a workshop on content authoring with Ghislain Hachey and Ian Thomson of 2020 Trust.


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DLCP was mentioned by many participants as a leading best-practice initiative in the Pacific, including in the Prime Minister’s opening speech and the Chairman of the Pacific Internet Society’s speech at the presentation night. DLC Supervisor’s Workshop The Distance Learning Centres require skilled Supervisors whose role is to manage and maintain the technical equipment, oversee the operation of the centres, assist users such as teachers, students, other groups, individuals to use the facility. The ideal profile of a Supervisor is an experienced teacher with good awareness of development issues and experience with distance learning, who also has good computer and Internet literacy. Nine supervisors with the right balance of skills and qualifications have been recruited. The DLCP aims to develop individual skills of each trainee and thus create a team of experts with complementary specialities. In this spirit, at least one annual conference is held to share best practice, build team working and spirit and evaluate progress and make recommendations. In 2006, an intensive training program and workshop/conference for Supervisors took place over a 9-week period starting in April (report available online – see list in annex). In 2007, the annual workshop was scheduled to coincide with PacINET. The outcomes are: • Supervisors awareness and professional networks improved at PacINET • Three DLC staff and DLCP manager gave five presentations at PacINET • DLCP facilitated the ICT in Education day at PacINET; DLCP recognised as a main

best practice ICT in Education project • Collaboration with DFL experts from Taiwan and Australia strengthened • DLCP and publicised at the main international regional conference on ICT • Issues and problems of DLCs identified and lists of actions and recommendations

made available in the main body of this report, for DLCP to follow up • Team-working improved in the DLC team • Individual strengths of DLC team members improved • Capacity to support USP enrolments improved • Technical issues identified and training / solutions given • The networking at PacINET resulted in a novel pilot where agriculture experts will

use the Internet to train teachers at Guguha DLC, using cyber schooling techniques. The teachers will then assist the local farmers to diversify and improve access to markets. Taiwan technical Mission and Kastom Gaden Association are participating .

A full report is available (see references in annex) Building capacity in the Ministry – integration of DLCP into the Ministry’s programmes The DLCP has collaborated with the Coordination Team to establish a Technical Working Group on DFL and eLearning (TWG), encompassing the development of a DFL and eLearning policy/strategy and DLCP exit strategy. This has been making steady progress with 3-weekly meetings. The TWG is a very important mechanism for mainstreaming and coordinating developments in DFL across the education system. As a key partner, the DLCP will interact closely with the TWG throughout the remaining life of the project.


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The TWG has a website of it’s own. A members list, resources, documents and meeting minutes etc can be obtained there or from the TWG (contact Peter Potter, Advisor Coordination, or Bernard Rapasia, TVET Division). The TWG has a number of sub-committees working on specific areas. These include: • Developing a DFL and eLearning Policy • Mainstreaming (of DFL and eLearning) • Developing and implementing an exit strategy for DLCP

A COL was workshop held on Oct 2-4 2007 to provide guidance on the policy development. With this assistance from the Commonwealth of Learning and USP’s PRIDE programme, progress is being made on the DFL / eLearning policy;

7. Exit strategy for DLCP Sustainability and an exit strategy for DLCP are of special concern to the TWG. As a consequence, the DLCP has submitted a draft Exit Strategy to the TWG. The exit strategy is about sustainability. Within this topic we find everything else, including mainstreaming and several kinds of sustainability to be addressed. The general approach is to maximize the usage whilst remaining true to the intended purpose of the DLCs, through mainstreaming (by MEHRD, the wider education system and more generally in terms of rural development) adding linkages/collaborations and through capacity development. It is also important to create a proper institutional basis for the DLCs – considering them as a whole, rather than as individual centres – and for each stakeholder to accept some responsibility. There are several kinds of sustainability (that overlap to some extent): • Financial sustainability • Institutional sustainability • Human resource sustainability • Sustainable partnership with community • Sustainability of the wider environment – national policies etc • Technical sustainability The strategy incorporates some key components: • Include DLC Supervisors positions in the 2009 SIG budget under Public Service • Develop the business model so that revenues can pay for other operating costs • Create an institutional basis for administration and on-going development • Identify and agree arrangements for “ICT” technical support • Identify and make agreements to provide “educational” technical support • Create an additional budget line for long term maintenance • Sign service agreements with USP, UPNG Open College and other providers • Mainstream MEHRD/SICHE usage of the DLCs (SOE, DEC, CDC, Ministry Divisions) • Develop partnerships in development with third parties (such as ANZ) • Link to national development programmes; in particular the RDP The exit strategy is a key output of this consultancy and will be followed by DLCP in collaboration with the TWG for the remainder of GPE2. The document is attached as


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an annex, where a detailed discussion of each of the components above are discussed. A brief introduction of three of these components is given below: Financial sustainability. The DLCP has developed a strategy described in the Exit Strategy, that incorporates a business plan with diverse pay-for-use services and linkages to third party applications to maximise revenue opportunity for the DLCs. In the initial months of operation, revenues have been promising, with up to 70% of the monthly bandwidth cost being collected in one month. One example of a linkage that creates synergy and thus sustainability is to the ANZ’s rural banking operations. With the addition of service agreements for education providers and increased demand as local skills grow via training, plus scholarships to increase uptake of distance learning, these early results can be built on; Sustainability of human resources and capacities. This involves good management to retain skilled personnel, building partnerships with the host schools, budgeting for the DLC Supervisors’ salaries in 2009 and tight monitoring and reporting; Institutional sustainability. This involves identifying a “home” for the DLC network after the project. The DLCP is currently implemented by the Rural Development Volunteers Association. A suitable home might include a section of the Ministry or an existing or new NGO or external organisation with the required capacities and linkage to the Ministry. This administrative centre should cater also for growth and innovation, and coordinate the educational services offered by the DLCs.

8. Operational Procedures This section was also reported in Progress report 10. A collection of management procedures have been developed. These will eventually be combined into an “operating manual” for the DLCs, which will be a key document for the future institutional “home” of the DLCs. The procedures consist of: § Roles / TORs for the Supervisors, Committees and Champion Teachers § Timetabling and services § Monitoring § Reporting

Roles/TOR The TOR for the Supervisor and Committee describe their purpose, routine and other responsibilities, tasks associated with reporting and maintenance, and list of reference documents. The most recent draft is attached in the annex of Progress Report 10. For a further discussion of the management model, please refer to the year 2 report. Timetabling/Services The initial services and timetabling of the centre are dictated by the need to raise the awareness and capacity of the community, including school teachers and students and villagers, to use the centre. The first priority is computer training. In early experiments at the first centre, a detailed timetable was tried, but it proved unworkable. The lesson is that in the early stages, flexibility is needed and the timetable must be based on the local demand and at their best convenience. The centres are therefore instructed to start operations with a very loose timetable, with training and the priority activity and general use as the secondary. The initial


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training services comprise basic and intermediate computing, Internet and office skills courses, using the courses developed at the Youth First Computer Centre or RDVA. In one case, Bekabeka DLC, the supervisor has further developed the training courses. All the supervisors have been trained as trainers during 2006 (see Year 2 report). The initial list of public “cyber café” services includes the following: § Training (per 2hr session with practice time) § Individual use of computer for Internet browsing, etc, time chargeable § Printing (low cost dot matrix and quality laser) § Scanning § CD-R and DVD-R sales § Assisted burning of CDs etc § Community email account – sending and receiving § Secretarial (typing) § Printing services for schools by negotiation § Facility hire per day (with Supervisor) The Supervisor sets a timetable and allocates use according to priorities – initially training, teachers and students as part of school work and training, USP and other DFL students, then community and private use by individuals. The Supervisor provides as much assistance as possible especially to help with educational uses. Monitoring System The Online Monitoring system is a database-driven, web-based application using free open-source software. It was developed for DLCP by the PFnet/CUSO volunteer Ghislain Hachey working with PFnet webmaster Mariselo Asupemane, and has been completed with help from Ghislain after his return to Canada, with PIU permission. To obtain detailed report on the open source technology and method used for the online monitoring system, see the online reference list (annex). It should be noted that such a system can be easily replicated to suit any other monitoring, survey and research data requirements that could be collected; i.e. from rural schools, clinics, government sub stations and their communities. The monitoring system, along with the DLCP deployment of Moodle Learning Management System, is hosted by Catalyst of New Zealand, which is the most appropriate and only regional Moodle partner, able to support that system. The Monitoring System has the following components: § Registration of users. All users are required to register to use the DLC. This

involves entering details into a form on a web page, with their age, gender, educational background, occupation, village and time needed to come to the centre, and any distance education usage. Users choose a username which they then use to answer a quick survey each time they use the centre.

§ User quick survey. Each time a registered user uses the centre, they are encouraged to complete 5 quick questions on a web page form. They enter their username and then answer if they are using the DLC for private reasons (and if so, what is their main purpose) or for study (and if so, for what kind of study via what institution). This allows a large sample of usage data to be acquired quickly across all the centres.


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§ Daily takings and performance reporting entered by Supervisors. These reports include details of sales and training stats for all services, with breakdown of amount of cash collected and any expenses and total revenues to be deposited.

§ Reports based on the financial and statistical usage data are available to Management via a restricted access section, which also emails summary reports automatically.

The home page of the browsers on the DLC laptops is set to the monitoring page, thus prompting new users to register and existing users to answer the survey. To view the monitoring forms, follow the link below and view the registration and survey forms (but please do not add any entries!!): http://www.peoplefirst.net.sb/DLCP/58745.htm To view the data on the web-based reporting system, please follow the link for Supervisors on the page above, then select the last item on the list on the subsequent page to “Web-based reporting centre”, using username “guest” and p/w “reports”. Reporting system The reporting system comprises the following: § Daily reporting (online) by Supervisors § Monthly summary reports written by Supervisors, using a template (see Progress

report 10). This is presented at a monthly DLC committee meeting. § Minutes and recommendations made by committee and added to report. Report

signed by Supervisor and Chairman and scanned and emailed to DLCP § Reports printed and added to a file, plus backed up on the PFnet server § Financial results (collected revenues, expenses, deposits) are entered in an Excel

worksheet “Reporting Summary.xls” maintained by the DLCP Manager § Daily report totals are obtained and compared against the reported monthly totals.

These are also entered in the worksheet. § DLCP/RDVA hold a monthly meeting to the reports and make recommendations

and draft responses back to each DLC Committee § DLCP Manager prepares a summary for the TWG § DLCP manager writes a reply and emails to each DLC Chairman § During the project, a sitting allowance of $20 per person, max 10 persons and

small budget for lunch is paid to the Committee following receipt of the signed report.

A management procedure has been written, with more detail. This is in the annex. Bank details A bank account has been opened as below, to save all revenues as a fund for future sustainability. The bank account is not to be used without permission from MEHRD. The first use of the funds will be when the bandwidth needs renewing in August 2008 – to supplement a partial budget provided by the DLCP. Bank: NBSI (now BSP) Name: Ministry of Education Distance Learning Centres Acc #: 160000001862 The signatories are (one of each group required): Group 1 (MEHRD) Tim Ngele, Harry Luahiti Group 2 (RDVA/DLCP) David Leeming, Selina Boso, Randall Biliki


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Financial reporting system for DLC Supervisors: § Record all daily revenues in an accounts book. Write down breakdown of sale for

each time money is collected from a customer. § If there are any expenses / minor running costs, get agreement from DLCP before

using any collected revenues § Enter the takings and performance indicators into the "daily Report" online

reporting system § Print a copy of the daily report summary page before clicking the submit button

and keep for the record § In the monthly report, list the daily totals for cash collected and expenses (just the

totals) and confirm against the total cash collected that month for deposit § Deposit cash when it is convenient (bank charges paid from cash should be

entered into your reports as expenses) and notify DLCP § DLCP will keep an account for all the DLCs and report this to MEHRD § The cheque book is kept locked up with DLCP DLC Supervisors must submit a signed monthly report by the 3rd week of the next month. DLCP aims to review them by the end of each month. The reporting system is a vital means of ensuring accountability, and also that an active partnership is maintained between the DLC Supervisors, Committees, DLCP management and the Ministry (via TWG).

9. Performance indicators The online monitoring and reporting system has been in place and operational for six months, and the monthly reporting system has been enforced and is working well at all but one site. This section will give some preliminary statistics. However, when interpreting these data, the following points must be emphasised: • The data should be viewed as an early indication to build confidence only.

Currently the communities at all the operational sites are still getting to know their new facility and are not able yet to make full use of it. Computer and Internet training are the main priorities. As people acquire the skills to use the centre, usage will grow. Also, the distance learning / educational applications of the centres are also at a very early stage of development. Service agreements have yet to be agreed with USP and UPNG, and scholarship schemes tied to them to encourage uptake. The DFL usage is not as yet driven by policies of the Ministry. This will take time, and the TWG is working on the mainstreaming and policy development. Therefore, the usage at the moment represents mostly ad-hoc self-learning and general cyber-café use. It is expected that the usage level can be increased from this initial level considerably but this will take time – but only if the mainstreaming and exit strategies are carried forward with commitment. This applies to financial results as well. The revenues earned will doubtlessly increase as the project helps the DLCs to offer new services and linkages. For instance, the ANZ bank agency at Arnon Atomea DLC is agreed but not yet active. If replicated at all the sites, the model could provide SBD 18,000 p.m. – more than 50% of the bandwidth costs.

• Non-reporting is reducing the usage data. It takes time to get everyone used to the system and the reporting system to be enforced. So far, six of the seven centres are now complying well with reporting. The user survey depends on users


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willingly answering a few questions on an online form each time they use the DLC. The Supervisors are having differing levels of success but understand the data is important and are improving in their efforts. The online monitoring data should be regarded, therefore, as a small sample indicating trends only. As the database grows, the results will become more significant.

Overall usage (from the web-based reporting system on 31st Oct 2007) Usage statistics are given by either: • Users; i.e. the number of registered users in that category. The sample size will be

equal to the number of registered users • Sessions; i.e. the number of user-sessions in that category. The sample size is

equal to the total number of user sessions. Registered users and number of user sessions Date open Number registered users

(fairly well reported) Reported sessions

(greatly under-reported) Pamua Sept 06 194 1416 Vuranimala Mar 07 88 709 Guguha Apr 07 49 219 Bekabeka May 07 168 879 Henua June 07 171 397 Arnon Atomea June 07 106 171 Avuavu Sept 07 44 40 TOTAL 820 3831

The diagram above shows the frequency of use for the 820 registered users across all seven operational sites. This might be interpreted as showing that nearly 70% of users have only used the DLC less than 5 times each. In fact, it is known that the supervisors have difficulty in encouraging users to complete the survey form (which is voluntary) and there is considerable under-reporting. This is probably more of an issue for repeat visits. Therefore, the graph is showing a skewed picture of the usage.


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The general conclusion to be made is that 820 people have made the effort to register at a DLC and become potential users. As they are trained and discover more services they will use the facility more and more. It might be said that the graph above indicates that the demand in the village has the potential to be vastly higher than it is now – good news for the sustainable operation in years to come. Usage by Gender (all sites) By users By sessions Male 562 (69%) 3012 (79%) Female 258 (31%) 819 (21%)

This data shows unambiguously that the majority of users are still males. Efforts to encourage women and girls to use the centre should be encouraged.

User’s main occupation By users By sessions Builder 15 (2%) 25 (1%) Church Worker 17 (2%) 97 (3%) Farming 35 (4%) 140 (4%) Fishing 13 (2%) 44 (1%) Government Officer 13 (2%) 15 (>1%) Health Worker 16 (2%) 13 (>1%) Housewife 31 (4%) 90 (2%) Police / Legal Worker 8 (1%) 12 (>1%) Student - Primary 30 (4%) 60 (2%) Student - Secondary 371 (45%) 1117 (29%) Student - Tertiary 26 (3%) 146 (4%) Teaching/Training 148 (18%) 1772 (46%) Timber (Logging Worker) 3 (0.5%) 5 (>1%) Trader / Store/ Employee 2 (0.5%) 12 (>1%) Other 92 (11%) 283 (7%) Combined results:

School students 427 (52%) 1323 (35%) Teachers 148 (18%) 1772 (46%) Community & adult learners 245 (30%) 736 (19%)

This data shows that although school students make up 52% of the registered users, teachers are by far the most frequent users. Community people make up a third of the user-base, but on average use the centre less often. This demographic will probably change with time, as the training of community people takes effect, and relevant educational services become more available.


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Usage by education level (how educated are the users) By users By sessions None 15 (2%) 42 (1%) Primary school 58 (7%) 136 (4%) Form 1-3 207 (25% 506 (13%) Form 3-6 329 (40%) 1459 (38%) Form 7 9 (1%) 14 (>1%) Rural Training College 16 (2%) 57 (1%) SICHE 80 (10%) 585 (15%) Degree holder / higher 28 (3%) 274 (7%) Diploma holder 45 (5%) 357 (9%) University undergraduate 18 (2%) 369 (10%) Other 15 (2%) 32 (1%)

This data tells us that the more educated (senior secondary school, college and those having attended university) are disproportionately using the centre compared to the less educated. For instance, post-secondary school educated people make up only 20% of the registered users but they made up 42% of the reported user sessions. People with junior secondary education or less make up 34% of the user-base but only 18% of the reported sessions. However, there is a spread right across the spectrum. Earlier in the report it was mentioned that there is a great potential for using the centre in basic literacy training. This data tends to show that this potential is not as yet being realised and efforts should be made to follow up that application. Usage by age group By users By sessions Under 10 1 (0.1%) 0 10-19 291 (35%) 771 (20%) 20-29 291 (35%) 1368 (36%) 30-39 152 (19%) 1265 (33%) 40-49 52 (6%) 354 (9%) 50 plus 4 (0.5%) 5 (>1%) Unknown 29 (4%) 68 (2%)

70% of the registered users are under 30 years old. This is a common finding, with young people being the first to take up the technology. I might indicate that an effort might be made to demonstrate the relevance of the facility to older people, too. Usage by main purpose (why they used the centre) By sessions Computer training 765 (20%) To collaborate with teachers/students 127 (3%) To study 506 (13%) For private info and communication 1856 (48%) None / don’t wish to say 577 (15%)


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This data shows that in these early days, the main usage (more than 48% of reported sessions) is for private use. However, as the teachers and students are trained and learn more how to use the centre for school work, and as the educational programs are progressively introduced and the Ministry mainstreams it’s use of the centre, this should change. The 16% of usage reported thus far is quite a good result as it is driven mostly by the people themselves. If they used DLC for educational reasons (620 sessions): Schoolwork 246 (40%) Lesson prep / research 88 (14%) Self study 136 (22%) UPNG 18 (3%) USP continuing 63 (10%) USP DFL 69 (11%) This shows that as expected, the current educational use is mainly associated with schoolwork. It is quite a good result that there is already a registered usage of UPNG students, as the service has not yet been officially started. One assumes these are existing UPNG students. The USP usage is also quite good, after such a short time. Usage by main purpose (cont.) If they used DLC for private information and communications (2769 sessions):

By sessions

Business/trade 67 (2%) Church/religion 50 (2%) Contact family/friends 659 (24%) Educational info and communications 1024 (37%) Finance/banking 46 (2%) Government 9 (>1%) Health/Medical 3 (>1%) Just browsing 220 (8%) Just checking email 358 (13%) Law/justice/legal 4 (>1%) News 21 (>1%) Purchasing goods 3 (>1%) Sport 51 (2%) Tourism 5 (>1%) Other / don’t want to say 249 (9%)

This data demonstrates that communication by email including with family and friends is already popular. 37% of the users who said they were not using the centre to study have said that their private usage is associated with education. The range of reasons to use the centre is also evident.

Summary of user data The usage data shows that there is a large demand, and that even before the educational applications of the centre are formally introduced and mainstreamed by the providers, there is already a significant impact on the learning environment. It is a good baseline to measure improvements.


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It is also important to note that the less educated, older people and women are poorly represented and efforts should be made to target these groups. In particular, the potential of the centres to assist with basic literacy training that was identified in the Commonwealth of Learning workshop of June 2007 should be explored. As the initial main use of the centre is for private “cyber café” purposes, it is also important to target specific needs groups, especially when linked to livelihoods such as farming. One example of this is being developed at Guguha DLC, where a farmer’s association has been formed (see discussion on each centre below).

Financial data The table below shows the revenue collected by each site in the first months of operation, in SBD$. It is hoped that eventually the revenue stream will pay for the bandwidth cost, which for the first two years was USD $480 / SBD $3500 per site per month (see the Exit Strategy for further discussion). The data is up to Sept 07. Arnon Avuavu Bekabeka Guguha Henua Pamua Vuranimala Mar 07 Apr 07

$130 $680

May 07

$4145 $2053 $988 Jun 07 $1744 $1099 $899 $148 $356 Jul 07 $7774 $2253 $1520 $2629 $493 Aug 07 $772 $369 $69 Sep 07 $2970

Just open

$2703 $591

$9552 Since

Sept 06

$479 Average pr month (note 2)

$4420

$2550

$1265

$2629

$796

$599

Note 1: The revenue collection was reduced in June due to the COL workshop, when Supervisors came to Honiara and some of the centres closed. Likewise, the Supervisors were absent from their centres for most of August, to attend PacINET and the main Supervisor’s workshop. Note 2: Initial months at Guguha and Henua, when the services were being demonstrated, are not included. August not included as the DLCs were mostly closed. Note 3: The period covered also includes the school break of June-July when many teachers and students were absent. Although it is too early to see a clear pattern, the following observations can be made: • Several centres show that sustainable revenues above $2000 p.m. are possible • Arnon Atomea with the very high population demonstrates that the target of

$3500+ p.m. is attainable • Some centres are showing much lower revenues and the reasons should be

investigated Some approaches have been agreed by the DLCP team to develop the business plan: • Focus on training to increase demand • Mainstream distance learning services through the centres • Respond to demand, such as to retail stationary, DVD-Rs and CD-Rs, colour

printing and laminating – all of these are highly popular in rural areas • Most centre report that extra computers are needed, especially for when more time

will have to be allocated to educational programmes. The project should follow up research on the new breed of low-cost, low-power laptops, which have all the modern features such as wireless networking to expand the centres affordably.


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There are also strategic linkages that are showing promise: • An agreement has been reached with ANZ Bank to open a rural bank agency at

Arnon Atomea DLC. This is a true partnership in development, with the centre providing a secure room with power and broadband, with which their EFTPOS technology can be used. The centre provides an educational angle, with technical support for the tellers, awareness and training for the community for Internet banking and financial literacy (using a module developed by UNDP). The service agreement (attached in the annex) promises a monthly rent of $2000 p.m. for the centre. The scheduled opening is in November. If replicated and a few other sites, this model could pay for a significant part of the Internet costs. Please refer to the annex for more detail.

• A prospecting company in Marovo Lagoon, Pacific Porphyry, has approached DLCP with an idea for a collaboration whereby they are connected to the wireless link that the project is establishing between Bekabeka DLC and Batuna RTC (see the section on pilots, below). They would pay for the bandwidth used by that link, via a separate Telekom account, although the same VSAT at Bekebeka would be used. The company would pay a monthly rental to Bekabeka DLC. This provides the company with the connectivity it needs, plus a highly visible contribution to supporting their host community, whilst the sustainability of Bekabeka DLC is strengthened. At time of writing, negotiations with Telekom are planned to obtain permission.

• Service agreements with education providers such USP and UPNG, such as commissions on enrolments, will further bolster the revenue base, as will linkage of DFL courses to scholarship programmes to which teachers and members of the community are eligible.

• The network has great potential if activities of development programmes such as the upcoming national Rural Development Programme (WB/AusAid/EU) make use of the centres for technical training, capacity development and service provision. This should be promoted at high level – the TWG has a role.

These strategies and ideas should be followed up by the project and supported by the Ministry via the TWG. It is also important to listen to demand from the communities, and the resulting ideas which the DLC Supervisors are bringing to the table. Regular workshops to share and mainstream these ideas are essential.

Brief summary of progress at each DLC A bullet point list of observations and points of note are given below, for each of the operational centres. The monthly reports with their responses from DLCP – available from DLCP and filed in hard and electronic copy at the PFnet office – can be referred to for greater detail. See also the website links given in the infrastructure section above. Arnon Atomea • Based in Malu’u, a high population and strong rural economy with many

professional people • Experiencing tremendous demand, such that two assistants have been recruited by

the Committee to lesson the workload on the Supervisor • ANZ rural bank agency to be pioneered at this DLC


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• Higher than usual awareness of Internet in the community is leading teachers and professionals to make good use of the centre

• At least one development programme active in the area has hired the facility to train their project workers

• More laptops are needed already, to cater for demand

Avuavu • Only just opened, but with good community interest • The school is already negotiating with NESU to integrate examinable SPBEA

computer studies for Form 6. This model can be replicated at other centres. Demonstrates very proactive thinking by the school.

• Local RAMSI contingent is enthusiastically using the centre. • Linked to a possible agriculture outreach project involving Kastom Gaden

Association who are working with Weathercoast farmers • October revenues predicted to be above $2000 despite remote location

Bekabeka • Excelling in a commercial-grade approach to training (the Supervisor is an

experienced Computer Studies tutor from USP background). Numbers of trainees give testament.

• Excellent participatory planning approach with the school • Also has emphasised the need for additional computers to allow more time to be

allocated to education uses • Involved in the Marovo pilot linking the DLC with Batuna RTC. The centre will

demonstrate how the capacities there can be used to benefit more schools and RTCs in the area

• The school teachers and students are very active at this location, using the centre for class-work, assignments and studies. The champion Teacher is very strong here, making a significant impact. This centre is a good example for the cooperation between the DLC and school to benefit education.

Guguha • Lower than expected usage. This may be partly cultural and economic, as there

seems to be less available cash for users. Also, the school is somewhat apart from villages/population centres. The problem is being addressed effectively and imaginatively by the Supervisor (as below)

• Awareness programs are being organised. Free sessions are being planned to encourage better usage by the school.

• A Guguha Farmer’s Association has been created, to help farmers to access technical information and market advice. The Supervisor and DLCP are liaising with technical experts at the Taiwan Technical Mission and Kastom Gaden Association. Workshops are planned to arrange a system of technical support for the farmers, using the school’s agriculture teacher as an intermediary

• A Women’s club has been created by the Supervisor to explore ways how they can benefit from the DLC

• Some teachers have expressed interest in USP studies – but point out lack of funds and need for scholarships

Henua • This centre has just opened in June. It is in a very remote area with a low

economy. However, the first month of normal operations showed very good results with $2700 being collected and a high number of registrations


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• The school is small but benefits from a strong Principal who is highly qualified and computer literate

• A possible linkage with the World Heritage project (UNESCO) will create possibilities for educational activities and will impact on utilisation

• Already featured during the 2007 Premiers Conference, held nearby. The media were able to get their reports and photographs to press very effectively. The conference organisation also benefited.

• The Chief Provincial Health Officer, Ian Puia, has approached DLCP with a plan to create an integrated communications strategy for all the health services in Rennell and Bellona, incorporating the DLC and wireless extensions. This is under development with the author assisting. Again, this can be replicated.

Pamua • Opened much earlier (Sept 06) after it was justified that one centre should be fast-

tracked whilst the main procurement was still delayed. • Has piloted a number of techniques and collaborations that have benefited all the

centres, such as the use of synchronous interactive platforms with the assistance of specialists from Taiwan and Australia (featured at PacINET – see report above)

• Has also piloted some innovative ways of school usage • Has piloted USP enrolment with 23 students registered by March (see progress

report 10) • This site has suffered from lack of direction whilst the focus was on deploying the

remaining centres. Consequently the reporting system and close collaboration with the community and school via the committee has been affected. The DLCP is currently working with the Supervisor and Committee to make a fresh start in 2008

Vuranimala • Like Guguha, this site has lower than average usage. It may be due to the

population distribution, with villages spread apart from the school along the bay. • The DLC and committee are working effectively together. They have been

proactive in planning and carrying out awareness raising in the villages • The centre has followed all the laid-down procedures carefully and is showing good

accountability • Several (8) teachers are enrolling on USP courses, but others have been put off by

lack of funds. They call for scholarships to assist them.


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10. Pilots for extending services beyond the nine DLCs This section describes a component of DLCP that is piloting technology to extend education services beyond the nine DLCs. It describes a proposal for a collaboration that will (a) link Batuna RTC to Bekabeka DLC using a wireless bridge, and (b) test a model for distribution of One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) laptops using Batuna School and nearby villages in Marovo Lagoon. The collaboration is very high profile, and the OLPC component is intended as a scientific test of the utility of the laptops and the models and assumptions and to answer questions on behalf of the region. It includes the following partners: • SPC • 2020 Communication Trust • University of Queensland • USP • Conservation International • American Museum of Natural History • Vanga RTTC / SIARTC • CDC – MEHRD • Commonwealth of Learning have also expressed an interest (not confirmed at time

of writing) • Batuna RTC and the Marovo community

(a) Link between Batuna RTC and Bekabeka DLC The first component (a) will demonstrate how VSAT access can be extended to surrounding areas through terrestrial wireless coverage. A link between Bekabeka DLC and Batuna RTC is being established (partially complete at time of writing). This area is very suitable for wireless networking due to it’s topology with villages scattered around the lagoon-side and small islands with good lines of sight. Connecting a major RTC with a DLC is also in line with the MEHRD’s wishes that the DLCs benefit basic education generally, including continuing education and TVET. (see section on TVET above). In this respect, DLCP is collaborating with the S.I. Association of RTCs (SIARTC) to develop an ICT strategy for TVET - a workshop was held in October 2006 for this purpose. At the workshop, Jerry Kenny, Deputy Head of Vanga RTTC and previously Principal of Batuna RTC agreed to act as the “online mentor” for RTCs. He has been very enthusiastic and proactive in this role, as has Miri Taqu, the Head of Vanga in supporting the plan. A New Zealand-based NGO, the 2020 Communications Trust (or “2020”). 2020 was established in 1996 to fulfill a variety of objectives toward facilitating the use of ICT to achieving a more inclusive and empowered society, and has been active in the Pacific Islands in collaboration with both Ministries and NGOs/grassroots. 2020 propose to collaborate in the technical side of establishing the wireless linkage. They will procure funding for the ICT equipment via external donors including the Global Knowledge Partnership (GKP), of which RDVA (PFnet) is a member. DLCP proposes to utilise it’s piloting budget to support logistics, training and community consultation.


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The ongoing operation of the resulting facility at Batuna RTC will also be supported by other partners (see below). A draft MOU has been written, which represents the shared desire of the MEHRD, 2020 and the other listed parties to work collaboratively to achieve shared objectives in the building of a learning and empowered community in the Marovo Lagoon area. The MOU is attached in the annex of the project document. The Batuna facility will consist of:

§ A wireless link from Bekabeka to Batuna. This has been surveyed and found to be in line of sight (23km).

§ 3 laptop computers (plus possible some innovative “low cost” laptop technology) plus solar power. One computer will act as a resource server.

§ A full time operator, to be trained at Bekabeka and with an allowance paid for by one of the partners (UQ)

Two organisations who have educational programmes in Marovo Lagoon and whom have been coordinating with the Ministry (via the Director Secondary and others) are the University of Queensland Marine Biology Department (UQ), and Conservation International (CI). American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) is also involved in conservation activity in Marovo. More details of their educational programmes can be found in the full project outline in the annex. All the above parties see a facility in Batuna as highly useful to them in delivering and coordinating their educational programmes. They are therefore willing to collaborate in the pilot as described above, and support the cost of the facility by providing the operator allowance for the first three years. In line with the need to involve and build the capacity of CDC in electronic curriculum materials, CDC has been informed and agreed in principle with collaborating in the pilot. In particular, AMNH has offered to source funding from the McArthur Foundation to support a newly created eLearning focal position at CDC. Participation in the pilot would then allow CDC to develop awareness and capacity in regard to electronic resources and their applicability in schools, and also to pilot the delivery of electronic content from the existing curriculum.

(b) OLPC component One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) is a world-wide education project that aims to improve the access to basic education for millions of school-age children especially in the developing world. The non-profit OLPC Corporation was started in 2005 following research and development at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Media Lab, and is supported by many corporations (i.e. Intel) and aid agencies such as UNDP, which endorsed the OLPC at the World Economic Forum in 2006. OLPC has created an innovative laptop computer that is specially designed for issue to children to own and use in remote rural places with harsh climates and where there are few power sources. The innovation permeates both the hardware and software design, such that the laptop connects to other laptops in a mesh network, and promotes collaborative activities through applications that can be “shared”.


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The OLPC Project’s characteristics are such that the laptops can be expected to raise levels of basic literacy, numeracy, technical skills and collaborative learning skills. The “XO” laptop is presented by OLPC as a tool for “learning about learning” and “learning by doing”. An OLPC ad-hoc working group has been established in the region represented by the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), Solomon Islands Ministry of Education through their EU-funded Distance Learning Centres Project (DLCP), United Nations Association of Australia NSW Branch (UNAA NSW) , Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) and the New Zealand-based NGO 2020 Communications Trust (2020). This group has been developing a regional plan linked to the Pacific Islands Forum's Digital and Youth Strategies, with SPC taking a lead role. Other groups working on OLPC in the region are also being invited to participate.

The DLCP has been assisting the Ministry to review the potential of the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) project for their basic education programme in collaboration with SPC, as a potential component of their part in implementing the Pacific Forum’s Digital Strategy. As part of the review, the U/S Tim Ngele and DLCP Project Manager visited Sydney to take part in discussions and report back to the MEHRD on the relevance and potential for the Ministry. The Coordination team have reported that the Ministry is subsequently approving of the initiative and further moves towards the Solomon Islands participation.

Following the visit to Sydney, the DLCP has been sent one of three B2 prototype OLPC laptops acquired by SPC for evaluation purposes. This laptop was on display at the Vuranimala DLC Opening on 8th June 2007, and was also tested on young school children during the Henua DLC deployment (see section 1 for links to those events, with photographs). The “OLPC Oceania” working group (includes SPC) are arguing for a significant pilot to demonstrate the concepts and test a locally-developed model for their distribution. Features of the laptop are:

§ An ultra-low cost, low power, low-maintenance laptop § Designed to be extremely robust and long lasting § Designed with collaborative applications (described as “activities”) enabled

through the mesh-networking capability of the device § Designed to help improve basic, numerical and information literacy through

the collaborative features and web access (when linked to an access point such as a DLC)

§ Designed to be distributed directly to school-age children to be used outside and inside the classroom

The second component of the pilot is therefore designed to test the principles and assumptions and allow the Ministry and other partners in rural development, including in the literacy and livelihoods areas, to evaluate it’s performance and potential prior to any large scale roll-out.


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(c) Progress The following outputs have been completed.

1. Community consultations with Batuna RTC and community and community agreement signed (see annex).

2. Collaboration with Rural Training Centres initiated. Jerry Kenny, Deputy Head of Vanga Rural Teacher Training College and ex-Principal of Batuna RTC participated and is very active in the consultations and will be the chief mentor (online) for the Batuna RTC teachers and students

3. Consultations held and support obtained from Bekebeka Community High School

4. Agreement made with UQ on salary support for Batuna RTC operator, for 3 years.

5. Batuna operator Mrs Elnah Tati selected in consultations with the community. She is a young woman with computing experience at one of the Solomons main accounting firms. She even has knowledge of creating web sites with Front Page and is very happy with the arrangements and allowance, which gives her income whilst remaining with her young family in Batuna.

6. 2020 Communications Trust successful in obtaining USD 15,000 from Global Knowledge Partnership (GKP) for the purpose of establishing the wireless learning network in Marovo Lagoon, including wireless equipment and computing equipment for Batuna RTC

7. Solomon Islands Ministry of Education briefed by DLCP and approval given to proceed with the collaboration on the Marovo Learning Network

8. Curriculum Development Centre briefed and indicating interest in the collaboration. A focal point suggested – Phillip Samani – to be their Curriculum Development Office with eLearning responsibility

9. Wireless antennas installed at each end of the Bekabeka-Batuna link. Survey established need for a repeater up on a ridge above Bekabeka. Site surveyed and agreed, with much assistance from a Marovo tourism operator, Corey Howell, who is also working closely with UQ, CI and AMNH on their programmes on Gatokae island.

10.Remaining wireless, solar and computing equipment procurement underway

11. Site agreed for a repeater station on Mt Mariu, required for line of sight.

12.Batuna RTC computer centre operator Elnah started two weeks training at Bekabeka DLC


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13.21 Beta-test 2 XO laptops received from OLPC and DLCP staff familiarised with, and proficient in upgrading software. Presentation made at PacINET 2007 conference in Honiara, August 2007. Single units also taken to Henua and Vuranimala DLC sites and given to children to try out, photographs published on website

14.Article published on OLPC News to correct media mis-reporting http://www.olpcnews.com/implementation/plan/olpc_participatory_development.html

15.OLPC donated 4 beta-test 4 laptops, one solar panel for the XO and an active antenna for the trials to allow some pre-trial demonstrations at Batuna or Bekabeka School starting Nov.

16.Presentation on OLPC and the trials to me made at the Forum Leader’s meeting in Tonga, October 2007

17.Presentation on DLCP and the OLPC trials scheduled at the Pacific Forum Education Minister’s Meeting, Auckland, NZ, Nov 28th 2007

18.MOU prepared for all parties to sign (attached in annex)

For full detail of this outcome, please refer to the project document, available online as “Project Document for OLPC Trials and Marovo Learning Network”. at http://www.peoplefirst.net.sb/DLCP/documents.asp (username EU password docs).

Annex1 p1

Annex 1: Terms of Reference (Contract extension) Terms of Reference for the 9 month extension of the Technical Manager : David Leeming EDUCATION SECTOR INVESTMENT AND REFORM PROGRAMME EU/STabex 99 Global Work Programme 2007

Distance Learning Centres Project : PFNet

1. Background In 2004 the Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development (MEHRD) in the Solomon Islands with its donor partners, the E.U. and New Zealand, has launched the Education Sector Investment and Reform Programme ( ESIRP ) with the intention of implementing the ESP over the next twelve years or more. The first three year planning cycle ( 2004 to 2006 ) is already fully funded. The priority areas for this first three year project cycle are : • Movement towards universal access to Basic Education up to Form 3 by 2015 • Improving the quality of education via educational materials, improved teacher

training, management and delivery • Improving planning and management capacity at school, provincial, Educational

Authority and national levels • Primary and secondary curriculum reform • Primary and secondary infrastructure rehabilitation and provision • Restructuring SICHE and investigating the feasibility of an expanded USP campus

in Solomon Islands 2. Distance Education The needs of small islands developing states are daunting. The Solomon Islands is an LDC and one of the poorest countries in the South Pacific, where 85 percent of the country's population live in isolated rural villages on undeveloped outer islands. The country is also recovering from a severe ethnic conflict, but is now firmly engaged in confidence and peace building measures. Good communications and community networking are therefore a vital part of rebuilding peace and promoting development through information and knowledge sharing, and engaging these disadvantaged poor in the new Information Society. Yet, the Solomon Islands experience extremely high connectivity costs due to isolation, a sparse population, monopolistic telecommunication services, and a lack of ICT awareness at policy and decision-making levels, not to mention the need for a national ICT strategy. The Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development, via ESIRP, is addressing this problem in three ways : a) By funding the development of a Distance Learning Strategy for formal and non formal education during 2004/5 b) By funding a two year pilot project to establish 9 Distance Learning Centres in rural secondary schools. This programme will be implemented by PFNet in partnership with MEHRD and Solomon Telekom.

Annex1 p2

c) By implementing a joint USP/SICHE Feasibility Study to examine options for establishing a fourth campus of USP in Honiara. Once developed this facility will rely heavily upon distance learning. 3. PFNet PFNet, which has been running since early 2001, aims to promote and facilitate equitable and sustainable rural development and peace building by enabling better information sharing and knowledge building among and across communities forming the Solomon Islands. The project has established a wireless email network using appropriate technology and solar power and which is based on sustainable community ownership. PFNet is now working with partners to develop applications in many sectors, including distance education, farmer’s networking, grassroots news, business and market advisory, consultations on constitutional and policing reform, rights awareness and women’s networking. The project is now expanding the pilot to national scale, with 18 access sites (called rural email stations) in place. Furthermore, PFnet is not only assisting with practical solutions to rural connectivity needs and capacity building for networking and information sharing, but is also promoting ICT4D awareness and strategy building by coordinating a national ICT steering council. PFNet gives rural communities, for the first time, affordable communications with family and peers on the next island, in the capital city, or globally and provides access to information from anywhere on the Internet. It thus allows them to participate in the gradual transition of the Solomon Islands to the Information Society, for instance by giving them a voice in national debates and consultations. PFNet helps women, especially disadvantaged rural women, to network and access relevant services and women's groups. It helps students to pursue their studies and provide urgently needed affordable solutions to widen national education. PFNet is helping farmers to network, thus providing support to food security and traditional agriculture. PFNet works with many other development partners, building their capacity to network, especially to and from rural areas. Finally, PFNet is promoting national ICT strategy building, a fundamental element of the long term sustainability of ICT4D in Solomon Islands and for the beneficial impact of ICT in national development. 4. The Distance Learning Centre Project 4.1. Overview The DLCP is managed via a Joint Memorandum of Understanding between the MEHRD, the Ministry for Provincial Government, National Reconciliation and Peace and Solomon Telekom. The JMoU will establish the mutual contributions, obligations and management/reporting responsibilities between the partners, where ; a) DPG&CD is the division of the Ministry for Provincial Government, National Reconciliation and Peace mandated under the Government Strategic and Action Framework, the National Economic Recovery Reform and Development Plan (NERRDP) cap. 12 section 8.1.2 to promote the all-round development of the country’s rural communities. b) The RDVA is a non-governmental organization that acts as a partner agency of the DPG&CD in the implementation of the Association’s aims and objectives in

Annex1 p3

particular the activities of People First Network (PFnet), Youth First Computer Centre (YFCC) and other rural development projects and activities of RDVA. c) People First Network or PFnet is an activity of RDVA, which aims to promote and facilitate equitable and sustainable rural development and peace building by enabling better information sharing and knowledge building among and across communities forming the Solomon Islands. It is also the leading actor in promoting the role of ICT in national development, through coordinating the Solomon Islands ICT Working Group, which functions as an advisory or steering group with membership from all sectors including several government departments, NGOs, CSOs, development programmes and projects and the private sector. d) Solomon Telekom is the sole operator, by SIG license, of all telecommunication networks in the Solomon Islands. It is jointly owned by SIG and Cable and Wireless (UK ) PFNet is the implementor of the project with inputs from RDVA and technical co-operation from Solomon Telekom. 4.2. Appointment of the Adviser A Technical Manager, David Leeming, was appointed by a Direct Consultation contract to manage the RDVA/PFNet implementation of the DLCP on behalf of the MEHRD on December 13th 2004 for a period of two years. The project has suffered considerable procurement delays and by September only one DLC was operational ( at St Stephen’s College, Pamua, Makira ) although a further 6 are at an advanced stage. Procurement contracts for computer and solar equipment have been signed and VSAT equipment is being supplied via Solomon Telecom. Operators have been trained. The Mid Term Review of Stabex 99 held in August/October 2006 noted these delays and recommended that the Technical Manager be extended during 2007 in order to complete the project with 8 DLC’s operational throughout the country. Under the RDVA contract for the implementation of DLCP sufficient funds will be made available for the execution of the Project and Work Programme from the approved ESIRP Global Programme Estimates. The appointment of the Technical Manager and the on going execution of the Project will be conditional upon both the continuing availability of funding and the continuing existence of RDVA and PFNet or successor organisations. 4.3. The 2006 Mid Term Review of Stabex 99 In August/October a Mid Term Review of Stabex 99 was carried out by a team of three international Consultants. The MTR recommended a one year extension of the Manager’s contract. Unfortunately the original contract price under the 50% extension rule can only accommodate a 9 month extension. Their conclusions and recommendations will be taken on board for the 9 month extension of the DLCP Manager. They can be summarised as follows : 1. The education result area of the DLCP cannot be achieved in the time frame. It is a long term goal that needs a long term commitment. However, in the short term there is a need to demonstrate the potential of this approached through a few

Annex1 p4

carefully developed demonstrations projects. These projects need to be coordinated with other existing and planned developments in the education sector. The TVET sub-sector is a case in point. 2. Thus, in the final phase of this project the immediate objective for Stabex 99 should be to complete the building and equipping the DLCs and PFNet sub-stations, and implement a few simple demonstration learning models. 3. There is, however, a need for longer term perspective. There is a need to think more strategically about the role of distance education in improving the quality of education. The title used for Result 4 in GPE ? 1 is ‘Distance and flexible learning’. The project has focused on one approach. A distance and flexible learning strategy in the context of the pressures and constraints on the education system in SI needs to think more broadly. In particular, it needs to look at the resources that already exist and where there is previous experience. One of the outputs in the ESP is a National Schools Communication and Broadcasting Plan (pp15). Given the shortage of learning materials and trained teachers school radio can be an effective and relatively cheap way of compensating for these shortcomings. This needs to be considered as part of a strategy on distance and flexible learning. 4. The exit strategy needs immediate attention. PFNet’s agreement with MEHRD must be formalized. Incorporation of the DLC Supervisors into the MEHRD establishment will require a formal submission that will then have to be approved by the Public Service Commission. Given the time frame of DLCP, this is a matter of urgency. However, the capacity of MEHRD to manage this project needs to be realistically appraised. In the context of the findings outlined in Chapter 3, this is questionable. The logical Division to manage the DLCs is the TVET Division. It is, however, under staffed, and relatively inexperienced. Furthermore, it has not been engaged in the project. It might be included in the proposed EU programme of support to the TVET sector, but there is no budget provision. It is, therefore, recommended that: The agreement with PFNet for the implementation of the DLCP is extended for a year. This extension should be conditional on: Immediate action being taken on preparing a submission to the PMT in order that the extension can be incorporated into the MEHRD 2007 budget and GPE ? 2. This application should include revised TOR for the TA, and a logical framework with supporting implementation plan and budget. A schedule being prepared for the equipping of the DLCs; development of DLC management plans, the training of PFNet technicians and DLC Supervisors, implementation of demonstration learning projects, and development of an exit strategy. 6. A formal submission to MEHRD for the handing over of the project and the DLCs, and that that this submission be completed by the end of the current project period, i.e. December 2006. 7. The DLCP focus on developing and evaluating a few small pilot projects that will demonstrate to institutional stakeholders the educational opportunities that the DLCs offer. 8. A flexible and distance learning strategy document for basic education be prepared that embraces all potential forms of media. The strategy

Annex1 p5

document should be drafted in a manner that will provide MEHRD and other potential stakeholders with a framework for focusing SI and international resources. The strategy should focus on the following kinds of issues: media appropriateness, target groups, affordability for users, development and maintenance costs, education-user institutions, educational materials and delivery support mechanisms, etc. A short-term TA should be recruited to assist MEHRD develop this strategy. 5. Overall Objectives The objectives of the extension of the project are to: • Establish a Rural e-Learning Centre in a key community high school in each

province; • To build capacity for communications and networking viz distance learning and e-

learning; • To provide ongoing technical support; • To further develop the educational outcomes based upon a strategy document for

Distance and Flexible Learning • To prepare an exit strategy preferably involving MEHRD ownership and transfer

from PIU/Stabex 99 into the SIG Budget. 5.1.. Specific Objectives and outputs

1. Manage the Work Plan and Budget for DLCP incorporated in the 2007 GPE 2. Establishment of a sustainable pilot distance education network consisting of 9

DLCP’s nationwide 3. Enhance access of rural communities, via DLCP’s in Community High Schools, to

information and communication through ICT 5. To collaborate with MEHRD/PIU in the development of a Distance and Flexible

Learning Policy and Strategy for both formal and informal education. The Strategy should encompass all potential forms of media, including community radio and national schools broadcasting. MEHRD can access international short term TA from the provisions of the PIU Management contract if required.

4. To contribute to the SIEMIS by helping to create an online presence for the Ministry of Education linked to database management systems and the rural communications network;

6. To develop an exit strategy in collaboration with MEHRD and PIU which will transfer ownership from PFNet to MEHRD for inclusion in the 2008 Budget

7. To develop at least two small pilot projects that will demonstrate to institutional stakeholders and

5. school communities the educational opportunities that the DLCP’s offer. The Manager will have

6. implemented these projects and presented a Report on objectives, expected outputs and results

7. before his contract period ends. 8. Evaluate changing technology and propose options for use; particularly in

respect of low cost lap tops and community based FM radio 6. Methodology Distance Learning Centres The DLCP will establish Rural Learning e-Centres (RLCs) in at least one rural population centre (not provincial headquarters) in each province, based upon secondary schools to be selected by MEHRD in consultation with PFNet.. This programme would be spread over two years.

Annex1 p6

The distance learning centres will be sited at secondary schools in high population areas not served by existing communications infrastructure and will consist of: • A VSAT gateway providing at least 33kbps confirmed information rate; • HF radio communications to ensure technical support from PFnet are available at

all times; • A local area network with six laptop computers each configured for email, Internet,

word processing and basic computer training, with external keyboards and optical mice for enhanced reliability and printing;

• Telephone using Voice Over IP (VOIP) and fax; • A physical and CD-ROM library; • Solar power supply also supplying light to the school staff houses and classrooms; • Permanently attached supervisor/trainer who will also manage the facility and

facilitate for community use; • A management committee based on the PFnet model; The learning centres will offer the following services: • Distance learning courses provided by participating institutions; • Basic computing and ICT training for mature students and school drop-outs; • ICT awareness and basic computer training for school students; • International exchange through e-collaborative education for schools; • Community email and Internet use with operator assistance, based on the PFnet

model; • Access to information sharing and networking in many areas such as: • Indigenous business development; • Vocational education (Rural Training Colleges and SICHE); • Farmer’s networking (Kastom Gaden Association, PestNet, MAF); • Women’s networking (Vois Blong Mere Solomon, NCW) • Sustainable livelihood programmes in Fisheries and other areas; • Disaster management (access to latest cyclone information, disaster assessment

reporting) • Health networking (HealthNet, Health data reporting) • Rights and Law and Order (Regional Rights Resource team, RSIP, Human Rights

Office) • Library services (paper and CD-ROM based) • Affordable telephony via VOIP The project will access knowledge centres such as UNESCO, Commonwealth of Learning and the Queensland Open Learning Network and identify regional distance learning programmes and resources that could be used by the Solomon Islands’ providers and students. The strategy for building capacity of the providers to make use of online and other electronic resources will also refer to the evolving distance learning strategy that will be developed by MEHRD and the national ICT strategy building led by stakeholders with technical assistance from the e-Pacifica programme. Several existing PFNet email station facilities are located in or near suitable community schools, especially where solar power is already in place and where the community has (through the provision of the email station) acquired a high degree of readiness for e-learning. These will be will be expanded to provide some e-learning capability or into fully fledged centres as defined above. Others will be established in new areas. Locations of centres will be decided by a participatory selection. Priority would be given to those locations where maximum benefit would be realized to a wide

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range of groups including school students, vocational students and school leavers, women’s groups and others. Maximum effort will be spent in engaging all interested groups into the participatory site selection. PFnet research has born out that it is essential to ensure community ownership. 7. Specific Person Requirements of the Adviser The Technical Manager will be responsible for managing the implementation of the DLCP by PFNet. He will have a degree in ICT or related area, will have had five years experience in ICT/rural development in a developing country context and will have demonstrable experience in the following areas : • Development and management of rural community based ICT projects and

programmes • Development of web sites and rural connectivity networks • Training and technology capacity building • Experience with solar power/electrification and appropriate technology • Development and maintenance of computer hardware and software • Knowledge of educational issues in the Solomon Islands context Reporting Requirements The Technical Manager will be responsible for preparing and submitting the following reports with the number of copies and distribution detailed below. The reports will be received by the Programme Management Team (PMT) in the MEHRD which will advise the Permanent Secretary on acceptance or revision required An Inception Report one month after the commencement of the contract extension, which shall, taking the original Proposal, approved budget and the expected outputs of this Terms of Reference into account: Provide an updated and detailed Work Plan (physical and financial) for the implementation of the DLCP during 2007 GPE period. The Plan shall contain details of collaboration with Solomon Telekom, timed and scheduled project implementation, community awareness and training programmes and procurement.

In addition the Adviser shall provide copies of Quarterly Technical and Financial Reports to the Education Sector Co-ordinating Committee through the PMT, to the NAO and EU and prepare a Final Technical and Progress Report which will replace the third and final Quarterly report.. The draft Final Report will be submitted for consideration at least six weeks before the final departure of the Adviser at the end of the contract to allow time for comments. Numbers and distribution of copies of all reports: Education Sector Coordinating Committee (through PMT) 4 copies NAO 2 EU 2 Annexed to this Terms of Reference : • 7th Quarterly Report ( June/September 2006) • 2007 Work Plan • Recommendations from the MTR

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Annex 2: Exit Strategy

DLCP Exit Strategy This is a very brief document to help guide the TWG towards the agreement and implementation of an exit strategy. David Leeming Sept 30 2007

Overview The exit strategy is about sustainability. Within this topic we find everything else, including mainstreaming and several kinds of sustainability to be addressed. The general approach is to maximize the usage whilst remaining true to the intended purpose of the DLCs, through mainstreaming (by MEHRD, the wider education system and more generally in terms of rural development) adding linkages/collaborations and through capacity development. It is also important to create a proper institutional basis for the DLCs – considering them as a whole, rather than as individual centres – and for each stakeholder to accept some responsibility. There are several kinds of sustainability that must be considered. (These overlap to some extent): • Financial sustainability • Institutional sustainability • Human resource sustainability • Sustainable partnership with community • Sustainability of the wider environment – national policies etc • Technical sustainability These are some key strategies that can be followed. The rest of this outline follows these headings. • Include DLC Supervisors positions in the 2009 SIG budget under Public Service • Develop the business model so that revenues can pay for other operating costs • Create an institutional basis for administration and on-going development • Identify and agree arrangements for “ICT” technical support • Identify and make agreements to provide “educational” technical support • Create an additional budget line for long term maintenance • Sign service agreements with USP, UPNG Open College and other providers • Mainstream MEHRD/SICHE usage of the DLCs (SOE, DEC, CDC, Ministry Divisions) • Develop partnerships in development with third parties (such as ANZ) • Link to national development programmes; in particular the RDP

Supervisors positions (Human Resources sustainability) The Supervisors are highly trained and motivated. Their positions must be retained. They must be given the opportunity to develop professionally and should be considered as key experts by the Ministry. This is a relatively straight forward task, but may be difficult and take time to achieve. Perhaps the TWG should draft a Cabinet Paper or should invite the PS Finance to discuss. This is so critical that the process must be started as soon as possible.

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Reporting is also crucial. The system needs to be able to monitor what is happening in the DLCs, their performance, and also to respond to their (and the community) needs. I suggest that this is linked to the TWG as suggested below. This will also keep the Supervisors motivated – and monitored. Supervisors who do not submit reports must be challenged or the whole system falls apart. So far all are reporting well apart from Pamua. Key tasks: • Start process to create these positions in 2009 budget. • MEHRD to recognise the Supervisors and involve them in the on-going

development of the centres, nominate them for training opportunities, etc. • DLCP to present a summary of the monthly reports to TWG each month, starting

with the September ones (due by third week Oct). • The MEHRD should write a formal letter to be scanned and emailed to any

supervisor not submitting reports for two or more months in a row. The TWG can manage this process (DLCP informs the TWG).

Develop the business model Early data indicates that the centres are capable of earning revenues to pay for the Internet costs. These are USD 480 ($3800) per month per site. The initial months show that the median revenue is current between $2000 and $3000 per month. The peak is $8000 (Arnon Atomea). As we start to add revenue streams such as the USP/UPNG enrollment fees via the Service Agreements, linkages such as the ANZ bank agreements, etc, and mainstream usage, we will see the revenues increase. The DLCP has created a DLC savings account (MEHRD and RDVA signatories). Income from service agreements, DLC cash revenues, grants etc. should be deposited. The next major bandwidth payment will be in August 2008 (24 months USD 103,680). The project has a budget of only SBD 160,000 allocated so that all revenues between now and then will count. The strategy is to try and make this target without need for project budget riders. A good business model will prompt the DLC to respond to the local demand, as well as driving usage through “official” programmes and delivery of services. Tasks: • DLCP to keep the centres well supplied with consumer items such as DVD-Rs,

CD-Rs, and respond to demand from schools and public (such as colour printing, laminating, printing agreements with schools, etc)

• DLCP follow up the ANZ agreement and then make agreement to invoice them – maybe starting November – for Arnon Atomea. Funds to be paid directly into the DLC savings account. After 6 months, review and discuss the option to replicate in other sites. Avuavu would be suitable – remote and with a weekly flight to transport cash (that is the main challenge from ANZ point of view).

• DLCs to share good ideas on revenues This is really for the Supervisors to initiate and manage locally, but for the information of the TWG, we need to “mainstream” the best practice that is observed at each DLC.

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This comes under the heading “responding to local demand”. For instance some of the great activities that are already starting at DLCs include:

o hiring the room to organisations and projects for training o helping the Province to use the centre (workshops, trainings, etc) o organizing the health workers and making a strategy for them to use the

facility, including for training o organising local farmers and arranging technical training in collaboration

with Kastom Gaden Association, Taiwan Technical Mission, etc o introduce any aid project operating in the locality to the DLC o etc.

• Work on ways to add more computers. All the DLCs report that this is needed. We

are investigating the new “low cost / low power” type of laptop that could be added without significantly increasing solar power requirements. This is a basis for increasing the revenues of DLCs in 2008.

Create an institutional basis for the DLCs The DLC network will need an administrative HQ in place when the DLCP ends. This is for the TWG to discuss, with reference to what the MEHRD prefers, and what will be the best arrangement in terms of sustainability and flexibility. The administrative HQ will hold the DLCs accountable, and needs to: • Administer the DLCs, with reporting, accounting, monitoring, etc • Manage the human resources (recruitment, training, discipline, payroll etc) • Respond to the DLC Supervisors and provide support and coordination, for instance

regarding collaborations and capacity development opportunities • Hold regular (bi annual – or as budget allows) workshops • Be the focal point for the ongoing development of the DLC network, in

collaboration with MEHRD, education providers, technical assistance such as CoL and UNESCO, etc.

• Be the contact point for the DLC organisation There are a few possibilities. These must be discussed by the TWG. • Absorb the DLCs administration into a division of the MEHRD • Create a new NGO as a partner agency of MEHRD (as RDVA and DPG&CD). • Become an activity of an existing NGO such as RDVA • Be outsourced to an organisation with the capacity and resources – such as UPNG

Open College If the HQ is to be outside MEHRD, the resourcing implications must be clearly understood. This might be through grants (from MEHRD / donors), SIG or other means. A new NGO might attract funding from international sources.

Technical Support The DLCs will need technical support from PFNet, who have installed the equipment and understand the technical requirements. After the DLCP closes, there needs to be a mechanism (service agreement?) with them that will specify how this support is to be financed. By the end of the DLCP, the following needs to be completed: • A technical support schedule defined and agreed. This is an agreement about what

PFnet will be expected to do, and how it will be funded.

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• PFnet technical support coordinated with MEHRD ICT section. Simba needs to be working closely with PFnet so that he will be able to supervise for the MEHRD In view of this:

• Simba should be more involved in the remaining DLCP activities. For instance, he should attend the next two deployments (Kati and Sasamungga) and be introduced to the various ICT systems that DLCP has introduced / implemented. This is task for DLCP to coordinate, and MEHRD to approve .

Distance Education management support (and development) There are sources of technical support for DFL. • Commonwealth of Learning – esp the VUSSC • UNESCO – Bangkok office mainly, also Samoa • USP Suva campus have a distance/flexible learning support centre; PRIDE Dr

Robert Whelan etc The Ministry should nominate participate/involve the DLC organisation and DLC supervisors with any technical assistance, training, boot camps, workshops and related activities. The links with USP can also be strengthened.

Budget line for administrative HQ and long term maintenance The DLCs will offer significant economies in upgrading teachers to degree level. This can be an argument for the Ministry to create a budget line to support the DLC administration and long-term maintenance requirements. The budget requirements would be different depending on the institutional arrangements for the DLC admin HQ. Schools have budgets too; they have to value their access to the DLC (which is a community asset). They are generally speaking already significant customers of the DLC. It may be a more robust arrangement if instead of ad-hoc usage, a standard charge is made – this could be considered the “IT budget” for the school – paid quarterly, with defined usage quotas for training, school access, printing, etc. This would not inhibit any imaginative usage that individual teachers want to develop. This is really for DLCP to investigate through the DLC Committees, but might be followed up by MEHRD support (i.e. formal letter of agreement) after the issues have been agreed at the school level. Tasks: • Develop budget estimates • DLCs to discuss school usage budgets via the local Committees

Sign Service agreements with USP and UPNG Open College • Draft and agree service agreement with USP. Hold meeting with Dr Galo to

discuss. Perhaps add a reasonable percentage to each enrollment fee and all USP admin fees

• Renew discussions with UPNG Open College to make their courses available, and draft similar agreement. This might be part of a wider MOA between SICHE-DEC and UPNG Open College. Therefore, the DLCP should be included in those negotiations (I don’t think they have as yet). This is an action for DEC to make

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sure they are a consideration in the wider negotiations between Open College and SICHE.

Mainstreaming MEHRD usages of the DLCs The TWG has been focusing in all these areas. This is proceeding – but it’s worth listing these issues here. Related papers can be downloaded at http://www.peoplefirst.net.sb/DLCP/documents.asp (you have to log on - username “EU”, password “docs”):

1. TVET eLearning and Training Workshop Report (Oct 06). This is basically a plan for how DLCs can work with the RTCs.

2. Literacy, Livelihoods and Distance Learning Workshop (COL) June 07. 3. Meeting notes, meeting between DLCP and SoE, May 06

• One of the most important issue for the Ministry, is to mainstream the use of the

centres to upgrade teachers qualifications. USP is now offering degree level studies by distance. At least one teacher (i.e. Edgar Takeli at Waimaporu) is already studying for his Education degree at Pamua DLC. A list of courses that will be available via UPNG is shown in the annex. The Ministry should start to think about formalizing this process and integrating study by distance into any scholarship or other study programmes for teachers. Perhaps discussions can be opened with all of the main funding agencies for scholarships. This can also be extended to the awarding of scholarships to tertiary students – as an alternative to 3 years overseas. Note: The cost of the course units for a 3-year UPNG degree course is as low as SBD 16,000.

• As agreed in the TWG, we will try to help SOE to pilot some simple distance support using the DLCs. The steps required are outlined in the report (3) above, but basically involve:

o identifying teacher trainees who are able to visit a DLC once a week or so o training for SoE in online tuition (Bernard is organizing a day for a one

day workshop in late Oct – to be run by David Leeming) o looking at the 3 short courses and adding some interactivity (can be

agreed at the same one day workshop) o Improving connectivity at SoE (see later in the document)

• Literacy. (see report (2) above). We agreed at the CoL workshop in June that DLCs can be used to train literacy trainers. This needs the TVET Division to lead, working with their partners such as LASI, and DLCP on the technical side and training the DLC Supervisors if need be. It would be good if the DLC Supervisors were familiarized with the Literacy training course. They can assist in making the materials suitable for distance support.

• TVET – eLearning policy (see report (1) above). We are progressing with jerry Kenny nominated as the lead online mentor, and Batuna RTC to be connected.

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DLCP needs to help the Supervisors to train up an enthusiastic champion at any RTC nearby their DLCs.

• CDC – become aware of eBooks, start to try producing some simple Curriculum materials in eBook format. CDC can also attend the one day workshop at SoE in late Oct.

• DEC – continue to work on the partnership with UPNG Open College. Attend one day workshop with SoE and CDC staff. See sub-committee notes already presented to the TWG

It has been agreed that we need to provide better connectivity for MEHRD and SICHE divisions that need to interact with people via the DLCs. This is because

(1) Telekom ADSL is often too congested to allow audio conferencing to perform reliably – unless extremely expensive CIR bandwidth is procured, and even then:

(2) Martyn Robinson has stated in a reply to David Leeming following up a letter sent by the PS to get assurances on this issue, that Telekom cannot guarantee us the right to use audio conferencing unless we “stick within our closed network” (i.e. the DLCs).

Therefore, we can investigate the possibility of adding a VSAT site - probably at SICHE – and connecting DEC, Kukum Campus and any other locations via VPN or wireless. As a stop gap measure, even if the sites are not connected by VPN, the staff could visit the site at SoE to use the VSAT connection as required. Progress – DL has enquired of Telekom on pricing. • Hold workshop late Oct to introduce Internet tools – Bernard is organizing a day.

DLCP to run. Possibly at SoE or PFnet.

• Professor Nian-Shing Chen presented Cyber Schooling techniques at PacINET. These operate very well, but only if good connectivity is available. In addition to adding a VSAT site in Honiara, it may also be possible to set up “local” servers for the Cyber Schooling “interactive platform”. These can be set up in Honiara and at each of the VSAT sites or even in a closed network with no Internet access. For instance schools can all be connected up with wireless technology, and then connected to such a server locally – even without Internet access, distance learning can take place between these sites. David Leeming is researching and following up with Professor Chen.

Develop Linkages and Partnerships with third parties that create synergy • The trial of ANZ at Arnon Atomea will be reviewed after 6 months and can be

extended to other sites. The main problem for ANZ is cash transport. Sites like Avuavu would be good, as they have an airfield with weekly flights.

• Agriculture experts at Taiwan Technical Mission and Kastom Gaden Association have been engaged by DLCP to develop a collaboration whereby they train agriculture teachers as the DLC host schools, who then train farmers.

• The Health Sector has great opportunities to leverage the DLCs. Already Renbel Health Authority has engaged with DLCP to develop a provincial health communications strategy, also using PFnet email stations.

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Swiss Doctors have set up a Internet-based referral system called iPath so that doctors can refer cases. So far it has only been used at Honiara but with broadband it could be also useful to the rural clinics and hospitals near to the DLCs. iPath also has PowerPoints and other training resources to update the treatment skills of nurses etc. To kick-start the sort of activity described above, the Health Deaprtment should be engaged with. Perhaps the PS Health (and other sectors) could be invited to the TWG and the opportunities explained, likewise donor programmes working in the health sector.

Integrate DLCs into national development programmes The Rural Development Programme offers a unique opportunity to mainstream networks and link them to rural development. Therefore, the DLCs must be included in the RDP communication strategy. This will result in both the local demand and the service delivery (for all sorts of things – such as those described above) being linked to the DLCs (and PFnet and other networks). The RDP contains specific capacity development for both rural communities and the provincial authorities (some overlap with PGSP – also relevant). David Leeming has already contributed ideas to the Communication Strategy Team and I will circulate these with the TWG separately. Whatever the TWG can do to encourage formal links with the RDP will greatly benefit the DLCs and their chances of remaining sustainable, and also in their expansion. The RDP has 4 components, with a focus on Agriculture and Business development. The Provincial Government Strengthening Program is also relevant – DL is following up.

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Annex 3: Reporting procedures for DLCs Procedure for monthly reports

1. Each month, agree a date at end of the month to review reports and put in your calendars. You will review the previous month. I.e. 31st Aug meeting will review July reports. One day extra required by Manager to write responses to the DLC Chairmen and summary to present to the TWG.

2. Remind Supervisors reports must be submitted by end third week following month. (DLCP Manager)

3. When reports are submitted (DLCP Manager): a. Print reports and add to file. b. Save copies of electronic reports on server at

PFnet\DLCP\MonthlyReports\Bekabeka (etc). Use a similar naming scheme (i.e. Vuran_Monthly_report_Aug07.doc)

c. Update the Reporting_Summary.xls file. Keep a running copy on the server at PFnet\DLCP\MonthlyReports. Be careful not to overwrite each other’s copies – so Peter can be in charge of that but ask Rebecca to submit info on the bank statement when she collects it once a month.

4. At the beginning of each month, Peter, Rebecca and DM should receive a monthly summary automatically, from the monitoring and reporting system. It consists of 4 pdf files. Can Peter print these out and place in the file. (Note that you also get weekly ones! Don’t bother printing those, they are FYI only).

5. Chase up info that is incorrect or missing (DLCP Manager)

6. On the agreed date at end of month (you can delay if needed but not by more than 1 week if possible), hold a full day meeting to review the reports.

a. Print out a copy of each report for each person. (Peter) b. Print out the summary sheet for each station from the excel file, attach

to each report as appropriate. (Peter) c. Distribute and allow 1 hour for each person to read each report and write

any notes/observations to share. d. Meet to discuss each DLC report in turn. Discuss:

i. Missing or incomplete info (Peter) ii. Accuracy of data, i.e. daily reports vs. reported revenues iii. Performance data – new users/total users/sessions/revenues iv. Technical data – is the solar readings OK? v. Discuss the reports, agree responses for each DLC, and write down

minutes so Peter can write the letters and schedule actions later vi. Record any disciplinary needs and agree course of action vii. Rebecca take note of expenses to pay to the DLCs

7. Write responses and send to each DLC Chairmen and cc Supervisors. Print

copies and keep in the file. (Peter)

8. Write an abbreviated summary to present to the TWG. Include:

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a. Short summary of the main issues at each centre and the advice sent back to each centre.

b. A summary of the general trends/observations in the distance learning usage of the centres. Attach the reporting summary print out (inc summary page).

RULES

1. DLCs must submit reports by end of third week following month

2. Committee must meet once a month and sign the reports. If they miss one month, it is occasionally allowable but a signature on the report is needed. If they miss more than one month in a row, then we regard that as a failure of committee management and a letter should be drafted for the PS to send to the Chairman.

3. Committee allowances are paid per meeting, not per report reviewed.

4. If a Supervisor fails to report on time, he is cautioned and it is reported to the TWG. After any allowances have been made if the situation is not rectified, a letter is drafted by DLCP Manager for the PS to send to him/her and a period granted (maybe 3 months) after which the situation will be reviewed – contracts can be terminated with notice after that time if there is no improvement.

5. Positive encouragement should be used at all times. The DLC Supervisors will have very useful data and records if they abide by the procedures, that can be used to help them.

6. Any reasonable reasons why these rules are not appropriate of course can be allowed at the management’s discretion as long as it can be justified (best to write down why, if the rules are not followed).

INFO The monitoring web site is available from www.schoolnet.net.sb Just follow the links. Click on the Supervisor link and you’ll see the control panel. The username and password for all the forms is u/n supervisor p/w supervisor The web-based reporting centre username is “David Leeming” and password “leeming” but Ghislain can give you each one of your own. The system sends reports to two email addresses: • Weekly and monthly reports sent to management only via [email protected] • Monthly are ALSO sent to the DLCP supervisors using [email protected] The schoolnet.net.sb hosting mail configuration (control panel) is used to forward these to the correct addresses. Note that the monthly@ email address forwarding box cannot accept any more email addresses to forward to, so for Tina and Ali we need an extra one [email protected]. I will instruct Ghislain.

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Annex 4: MOU and service agreement with ANZ

Memorandum of Understanding and Service Agreement Between

Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited And

Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development And

Rural Development Volunteers Association concerning

Collaborating to provide rural banking services via Arnon Atomea Distance Learning Centre

The purpose of this MOU is to identify and bring together under a common set of objectives parties working together to improve rural development and services in the rural areas.

1. The Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited (hereafter “ANZ”), has been partnering with the Government of Solomon Islands to increase access to banking services in rural areas. ANZ seeks partners in rural areas to facilitate sustainable rural bank agencies.

2. The Ministry of Education (hereafter “MEHRD”) under the Distance Learning Centre Project (DLCP) is establishing rural distance learning centres (DLCs) equipped with solar power and broadband Internet, manned by full-time, trained Supervisors. MEHRD seeks partners to add value and utility to the DLCs, especially when linked to rural capacity development, in order to optimize the impacts and sustainability of the DLCs network. The DLCP is a component of the European Union-funded education sector development programme.

3. The Rural Development Volunteers Association (RDVA) is a partner agency of the Department of Provincial Government and Constituency Development. RDVA’s People First Network is a rural networking project that promotes rural development and peace building by enabling affordable and sustainable rural connectivity and facilitating information exchange between stakeholders and communities across the Solomon Islands. It is implementing the European Union-funded Distance Learning Centres Project for the Ministry of Education.

The objectives of the collaboration are to:

1. Open a rural ANZ bank agency hosted at Arnon Atomea DLC, accommodated in the special purpose room of the facility and make available a range of financial services.

2. Provide communications, power, secretarial and computer training support to two locally-recruited tellers to be recruited and trained in their banking responsibilities by ANZ.

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3. To provide capacity building for the community in the use of Internet banking services.

4. To generate revenues via a fixed and reasonable monthly fee for the provision of the accommodation, communications and training services to be used to sustain the operations of the Distance Learning Centre network.

5. By virtue of the above, to improve services and promote economic growth in rural areas, and empower rural communities to better manage their finances and thus improve their lives.

The three parties agree to work together as follows:

1. DLCP to assist ANZ in the identification of the broadband EFTPOS solution and suitable recruits to work at the new facility;

2. DLCP to draw up and agree with ANZ a service agreement that identifies the commitments of each party, including fixed monthly rental fee, access to power, Internet, computers, secretarial and training services, definition of those services and the new financial training that will be made available to the public;

3. The intention is to open the facility before the end of 2007. After a period of operation, the model will be evaluated with a view to identifying other DLC sites where a similar facility can be viable. That evaluation will also provide indication of any need to up or down-scale the Arnon Atomea bank agency. In the case of expansion, the two parties note the potential to develop the lower floor area of the DLC.

4. All parties to sign the attached service agreement.

Service agreement This service agreement will be annually reviewed by both parties and the service charge adjusted by a mutually agreed amount. Both parties intend this arrangement to be on a long-term basis of many years duration. MEHRD agrees to provide ANZ with the following services. These will be made through the Distance Learning Centres Project (DLCP) during the project duration (ends Dec 2008) and arrangements as determined by the next annual review thereafter.

1. Accommodate the ANZ bank agency at Arnon Atomea DLC in the special purpose room.

2. Provide broadband Internet access and electrical power during the opening hours of the centre, which shall be weekdays 0900 – 1800 minimum, and at other times by arrangement

3. To provide technical assistance to ANZ as required, to enable EFTPOS technology to be installed in the accommodation and connected to ANZ Honiara

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via the broadband Internet connection.

4. Provide timetabled access to DLC public computers with broadband Internet connection at times of the day, as required by the ANZ Tellers, in coordination with the DLC programmes.

5. To provide secretarial and computer training support to two locally-recruited tellers to be recruited and trained in their banking responsibilities by ANZ.

6. To work with the ANZ Tellers to provide capacity building for the community in the use of Internet banking services, and financial literacy using the modules developed by UNDP

For the services above, ANZ agrees to pay MEHRD via the DLCP the sum of SBD 2000.00 (two thousand Solomon Dollars and no cents) per calendar month payable monthly in arrears. Dated this day of ___________________________ Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited _____________________________________________ Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development _____________________________________________ Rural Development Volunteers Association

(Note: this agreement was signed on 6th Sept 2007) http://www.peoplefirst.net.sb/news/News.asp?IDnews=7886

Annex 5 p1

Annex 5: References Link to these online resources: http://www.peoplefirst.net.sb/DLCP/documents.asp username EU password docs DLCP project website: www.peoplefirst.net.sb/DLCP SchoolNet resources/portal: www.schoolnet.net.sb • Exit strategy DLCP (draft - Sept 07) • PacINET 2007 and DLC Supervisor's Workshop (Aug 07) • Progress report 10 (Jan-June 2007) (pdf 400KB) • Article on the Online Monitoring and Reporting System (Ghislain Hachey) and workshop resources • Project document for OLPC Trials and Marovo Learning Network (Sept 07) • MOU between ANZ and MEHRD to operate bank agency at rnon Atomea DLC (Aug07) • PacINET 2007 Conference, Honiara: presentations on / about DLCP (12MB zip file) • Literacy, Livelihoods and Distance Learning Workshop (COL) June 07

• Annual report 2 2006 (pdf, 1.8MB) or zipped Word doc for markup (3MB)

• Meeting notes DLCP and School of Education (May 07) • Quarterly report 7 • TVET eLearning and training workshop report Oct 06 • Draft eLearning strategy • Report on visit to eLearning Africa 2006 (Jun 2006) • Supervisor and Champion Teacher Workshop and Training Report (Jun 2006) • Full report of research into DLCP support for TVET (Jun 2006) • Minister's briefing on state visit to Taiwan • Quarterly report 6 (Jun 13th 2006) • Quarterly report 5 (Mar 13th 2006) • Annual Report #1 Dec 2005 • DLCP/PFnet paper for CBSI conference • Meeting notes for fourth quarter Oct-Dec 2005 • Quarterly report 3 (Sept 13th 2005), with all written outputs (meeting notes and site surveys) (zip file, 1MB)

Documents

CONTRACTOR’S FINAL REPORT (Component / Contract Level) EC ...leeming-consulting.com/DLCP/Downloads/DLCP99-011... · DLCP Final Report Year 3 4 Executive Summary This is the final