UNESCO and SADC Secretariat convene preliminary discussions on drafting of a Regional ODL Strategic Plan
During the SADC Ministerial meeting held virtually in June 2021, Ministers of Education and Training and Science, Technology and Innovation, noted the findings and recommendations emanating from the Baseline Situational Analysis on Open Distance Learning (ODL) in SADC Member States, jointly commissioned by the Secretariat and the UNESCO Regional Office for Southern Africa (ROSA). The Ministers directed the Secretariat with the support of UNESCO and other International Cooperating Partners, to develop a new Regional ODL Strategic Plan, with its accompanying Monitoring and Evaluation Framework, to execute measures delineated in the Regional ODL Policy Framework, and to incorporate the new realities facing the education sector.
It is against this background that UNESCO ROSA is organizing an Inception Meeting, on 3 August 2021. The discussions of this meeting are expected to serve as the basis to inform the content of the Proposed SADC ODL Strategic Plan and its accompanying Monitoring and Evaluation Framework (2021-2030) to implement measures enunciated under the regional SADC ODL policy and strategy.
The meeting is also expected to gather information from MS on the new realities which the Education Sector in the Region is facing, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic to inform the proposals made under the Proposed ODL Strategic Plan. Delegates will also agree on the Methodological Approach to be adopted for the proposed assignment.
The webinar will bring together stakeholders in Higher Education including senior university officials; representatives from Quality Assurance and Accreditation Institutions; Higher Education Councils; Lecturers and Ministry officials in charge of Higher Education from SADC.
The webinar will be a foundation for the drafting of a Regional ODL strategic plan (2021-2030) and this entails organizing various discussions with Member States for their inputs until a final draft is produced.