Papua New Guinea University of Technology and the Ok Tedi Development Foundation (OTDF) renewed its partnership through a signing of a MOU to further provide matriculation studies to thousands of students within the Western Province and Sandaun Province.
The signing of the MOU was between the University and Foundation took place between the Vice Chancellor, Professor Ora Renagi, OTDF CEO Havini Vira the Univesity’s DODL Department
The partnership between PNG UNI-TECH DODL and NDoE, OTDF facilitates the Adult Matriculation and Flexible Open Distance Education (FODE) programs for students who are isolated or disadvantage from attending mainstream schools. The FODE and Adult Matriculation programs are offered through the OTDF’s registered study centre – Star Mountain Community Learning Centre (SMCL), formerly based in Tabubil but was relocated to Kiunga in 2015.
The MOU between OTDF and UNITECH (signed in 2020) has just being reviewed and extended for another 3 years (2022 -2025). This MOU establishes the terms and conditions under which UNITECH and OTDF will jointly undertake the distance and flexible education program in Western Province.
Under the MOU, OTDF advertises the programs at its own cost and admit the students with eligibility under the criteria set by DODL-UNITECH.
OTDF also provides all the pre- admission and post-admission services to the students based on specific requirements of each program in consultation with DODL. PNG UNITECH/DODL ratifies all the admissions made by OTDF (subject to fulfilling the eligibility conditions prescribed by DODL) and enrol the students.
OTDF has decentralized its FODE and Adult Matriculation program to the three (3) districts of Western Province by establishing eleven (11) Satellite Study Centres (SSCs). These SSCs are located in North Fly – Tabubil SSC, Ningerum SSC, and Kiunga SSC, Middle Fly – Bosset SSC, Aiambak SSC, Kaviananga SSC, and Kasa SSC, South Fly- Nakaku SSC, Tapila SSC, Kawiapo SSC,and Daru SSC.
The facilitation of the FODE and Adult Matriculation in these SSCs are made possible through the partnership with UNITECH DODL, the respective Schools in the CMCA and appointed 11 FODE Coordinators. The annual enrolment for Adult Matriculation program is 1000 students while FODE is 300 students. This figures are for both Up Graders and Full Correspondence Students. Total number of students who graduated from the Adult Matriculation program since 2019 to 2023 is 1,117 while FODE is 480. On average annually 20 students gets the second opportunity to attend universities and colleges through our FODE/ AM program.