Lusaka, April 15 (NNN-ZANIS) The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has embarked on a five- year Capacity building project in Open and Distance learning (ODL) aimed at addressing
e ducational challenges faced by the region.

The project follows the signing of a grant agreement early this month between SADC Executive Secretary Dr Tomaz Salomao and African Development Bank Vice president Zeinab EL Bakri involving US$22.6 million to finance the SADC Capacity building Project in ODL in Tunis, the capital city of Tunisia.

According to the Statement, the project will develop and harmonise open and distance learning across the SADC region allowing member countries to use ODL effectively thus promoting regional cooperation and integration through the sharing of facilities, expertise and material resources.

This is contained in a stamement released by the SADC Secretariat to ZANIS in Lusaka today.

The Statment further say the project will also focus on strategically deploying four educational areas namely Primary, Secondary, Technical ,Vocational and Tertiary Education through regional policy development, strategic planning
and other operational frameworks.

It added that two centres of specialisation will be established to enhance exellency in ODL delivery, materials, curriculum development and research mentioning that the project will support provision of training at the centres of speacialisation.

The National ODL experts and authorities will participate in decision making in implementing the project through the SADC Technical Committee on Open and distance Learning.