The consultation recommendations are presented in two categories, namely,
a) country-specific recommendations and
b) consultation consolidated recommendations.
A. Country Specific Recommendations
These recommendations are presented in the order of UN country taken from the papers presented by the experts.
1. Bangladesh
Strengthen institutional resources and link them together to make the distance education programme result oriented and cost effective. The government agencies, agricultural universities, Open University, NGOs and private sector should collaborate in distance education so that the activities relating to distance learning could be more useful and the rural women can get better results.
The organised reception of information and knowledge by rural women is likely to be more effective if delivery methods include interactive activities and consensus reaching.
Undertake social mobilisation and advocacy activities to achieve political commitment.
The programme should be need based and developed in consultation with the local stakeholders to ensure their sustained participation.
Capacity building of rural women in the management of production activities aimed at food security and poverty alleviation should be taken as the nucleus of distance education.
Rural youths, particularly adolescent girls, should be brought into the main stream to develop their leadership.
Establish multimedia centres at the grassroots level to make the distance learning more effective.
2. China
Develop new and practical training programmes for rural women to strengthen their capability for active participation in political and social activities.
Further strengthen collaboration among different government departments in order to mobilise financial, human and material resources to assist the implementation of educational and training programmes aimed at rural women through distance education.
A regional consultation on distance learning for rural women should be held regularly to provide a forum for the member countries in the region exchange experiences, lessons and information of the member countries.
Increase the awareness of the governments in the region to put more emphasis on distance learning for rural women.
Strengthen cooperation among member nations of the region; it is advisable to establish a regional network of distance learning for women.
3. India
Develop an integrated and inter-disciplinary approach for content, coverage and presentation methods thereby associating the government women’s representatives with the SAU specialists who have responsibility for planning and coordination. Encourage each SAU to have 30 to 60 minute daily programmes for rural women.
Consider learning constraints, and provide for multimedia and repeat broadcast and telecast to ensure maximum learning.
The pedagogy and andragogy aspect of these programmes should be taken into consideration for effective education through distance learning.
Hardcore technical information should be blended with recreational information and general information, targeted towards women in development, empowerment and their participatory role.
Concurrent evaluation and research on the multi-facets of distance learning should be an integral part of the programme.
For disadvantaged areas and indigenous people there must be additional support from donor agencies to provide FM radio or local TV stations. These technologies can disseminate programme information in local dialects to remote and backward areas and to indigenous populations.
The successful experience of distributing distance education through radio, TV and print media provides scope to serve rural women through carefully designed and produced programmes. Other agencies and departments, including media organisations, will be valuable partners to strengthen this concept. Some lead SAUs may have HRD in distance learning to serve as national and regional level institutions within the country.
For use of software through different ICTs for training in remote and disadvantaged areas, additional input by FAO may prove of immense value to further distance learning targeted for rural women and girls through SAUs.
4. Malaysia
Distance education programmes that operate on multimedia (second generation) platforms satisfy the basic requisite distance teaching and learning.
The core teaching and learning materials should be printed hard copy course materials integrated with self-instructional guides and accompanying support materials such as academic guides and extra readings of case.
A subject specialist (from an available higher or advance study institution) should develop course material and independent self-study instructional DE specialists should supervise design.
Multimedia materials should be regarded as support materials (equivalent to tutorials in conventional education mode) and should be sub-subject focused.
ICT using tele-learning or e-learning or flexible learning should be developed and introduced at higher-level courses by IT specialists.
Distance learners immersed in tele learning, e-learning or flexible learning mode should undergo computer literacy training at the preparatory level course at the least.
5. Mongolia
a. Networking
Create a coalition among government, NGO, private sector, open and agriculture universities and international agencies. The coalition can undertake research, develop and implement a collaborative programme of actions suited to the local needs, thus eliminating redundancy of projects and programmes.
Share vital information (e.g. research results), human and other resources and collaborative capacity building among concerned agencies, sectors and groups. The scarcity of distance education related information accessible to the general public should be addressed.
Initiate a government interagency project to link various agencies and sectors thatare willing to cooperate on DE for rural areas.
b. Development and implementation of distance education programme for women and girls
Establish a regional information resource centre to facilitate the propagation of information and best practices that can be replicated by other implementers.
Advocate among governments in the region to pay attention to the potential of distance education and to encourage their full support in the programme, and especially to encourage support by the local government units.
Formalise distance education structures to clearly define how distance education would apply to both local and regional settings.
6. Pakistan
There should be a close collaboration between educational institutions and agricultural research institutions so that new research in the field of agriculture can be made available to the rural community. Both types of institutions should join hands to conceive and implement integrated projects to impart education, skills and information to rural women so that they can become active participants in national development.
Exchange information, expertise, agriculture technology and skills in order to enhance training and income opportunities for rural women.
Collaborate among universities and local organisations on the pattern of UAAR, AUH and MMBMT; the ultimate beneficiaries will be rural women.
Initiate university linkage programmes between AIOU and agriculture universities that will spin off new programmes and promote closer collaboration of the institutions for the uplift of the rural community, especially women.
Establish ICE and AIOU collaboration to share technical and expert support services with other government agencies and private sectors for community and sustainable development focused on improved quality of life of the rural women and others living in a marginalised state.
For better articulation between general and vocational education, analyse the existing technical and vocational training (TVET) programmes to develop better programme articulation and to promote effective interfaces and linkages with the world of work.
New and innovative experiences of AIOU should be used as models for meeting the targets set in the national plan of action for distance education and EFA.
Continuously update application and integration of the non-formal mode of education with the general education system to promote extensive outreach and a regional network of DE institutions.
Dub the local languages onto the TV and videos of the Agriculture Department of AIOU and IME on those subjects that have a common nature.
Exchange information and DE course materials in the region so that these can be culturally adapted and implemented by the interested countries.
7. Philippines
Design a generic regional project to be implemented under the auspices of the FAO.
Encourage member countries to identify specific projects that they, on their own, can implement in response to the recommendations of the previous FAO consultation meetings.
Propose that the project concept prepared by the Philippine delegate be considered as a working paper towards designing a regional project.
8. Sri Lanka
Take a cross-disciplinary approach to address rural women’s issues since multiple factors impinge on most of their decision-making.
Use technology solutions based on the ability to support and understand the implications by the recipients.
Avoid mistaking high technology as more complicated than the seemingly low technology adopted by women.
Effect a close collaboration among CBOs and teaching institutions to find the correct mix of IT in DE and face-to-face combinations.
In designing the programme take into account the extra domestic workload of women.
Adopt critical self-evaluation as main thrust of learning.
9. Thailand
In Thailand rural women are burdened by hardship due to heavy workload and thus denied learning opportunities. Distance learning programmes with flexible modality to reach the learner should be explored.
10. Regional strategy
Establish networks among communities living in similar agro-ecological areas.
Minimise use of written and spoken language across different language group.
Promote exchange visits among matching partners.
Use peer interaction among group members as a mode of learning via DE.
Remove the concept of teacher and promote the role of facilitator in knowledge acquisition among women.
In designing the programme, take into account the poor literacy among rural women.
Successful models, which have been practiced and evaluated by the partnership organisations, should be documented.
Develop a database of training models and course materials; translate and repackage preferred media as necessary for cultural context and language.
B. Consultation Consolidated Recommendations
1. General Recommendations
Provision of training opportunities (including internship, study tours, staff exchange) at national, regional and international levels.
Review strategies of audience participation in programme design, production and delivery.
Research and evaluate DE programmes.
Regional consultation should be a regular feature to provide continuous strengthening and backup for the member countries.
Network and collaborate on DE among member countries of the region.
2. Country Specific Follow up Action
a. Sri Lanka
Inventory resources, facilities, materials and clientele in respect to rural women and distance education in Sri Lanka.
Inventory resources, facilities and materials available for non-formal education with a view to transform quality material into all forms, and store resources when required.
Identify areas, which need strengthening for subsequent work.
Survey use of IT for education of women.
b. Philippines
Inventory DE programmes for rural women.
Inventory groups, agencies, institutions working on rural women and inventory what they are doing.
Inventory programmes of the agricultural university on rural women.
Inventory media programmes on rural women.
c. Pakistan
AIOU in Collaboration with the local FAO office
Inventory all DE programmes of AIOU for Rural Women (RW).
Inventory RW programmes of GO’s, NGO’s agriculture bank and First Women’s Bank, Ltd.
Inventory agriculture university programmes of rural women.
Inventory media programmes of the Pakistan Television (PTV) Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation.
Link the programmes of the University of Arid Agriculture Rawalpindi (UAAR) with those of the University of Agriculture.
d. National follow-up activities
Identify a national focal point.
Give highest priority to resource mapping at the national level including ICT facilities (low cost and accessible), availability of education resources aimed at rural women, ongoing programmes, expertise availability (using a standard format provided by FAO as soon as possible).
Prepare needs assessment.
Strengthen and utilise resources.
Assess the current delivery system.
Promote audience participation in programme design, production and delivery.
Organise orientation and training of trainers at the national and regional levels.
Follow up and continue education.
3. TCP on Distance Learning for Rural Women: General outline of the framework for project development
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Title: |
Capacity Building Of Rural Women Through Distance Education |
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Aim: |
Advancement of rural women through application of distance education to ensure food and nutritional security, poverty alleviation and equity. |
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Client group: |
Open universities and agriculture universities and training centres and those organizations with specific focus on advancement of rural women. |
Specific Objectives:
1. To empower rural women as active agents of socio-economic change.
2. To strengthen ongoing efforts for capacity building of rural women to be more productive.
3. To strengthen ongoing efforts for capacity building in the development and delivery of distance education programmes for rural women including the training of trainers, facilitators and mangers.
4. To promote cooperation and exchange of experiences and expertise among member countries.
1. Resource Mapping (e.g. infrastructure, human resources, target groups, programmes and courseware etc.)
a. Data base
b. Web sites
2. Capacity Building (in DE)
a. Strengthen programmes: literacy (basic and technical), agriculture production, income generation, health including food and nutrition.
b. Organisation and management
c. Design of instructional packages
d. Training of facilitators, monitors and evaluators
3. Linkages/Networking (international and national including NGOs)
a. Share institutional materials, expertise and experiences
b. Partner with various stakeholders
4. Pilot Testing
a. Identify linkages at the national level with appropriate ministries, NGOs, civil society and private organisations
b. Develop the basic framework
c. Gather baseline data of the geographical area
d. Define thematic areas such as agriculture, health, nutrition and empowerment
e. Identify ICT requirements (hardware-infrastructures, software - i.e. what is currently available, courseware)
f. Determine delivery systems
g. Define the logical framework matrix
h. Monitoring and Evaluation (external and user) scheme
i. Documentation
