(CARICOM Secretariat, Georgetown, Guyana) Nationals of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) are to benefit while the Region is expected to boost its competitiveness when the Community rolls out its project for distance learning. Known as the Caribbean Knowledge and Learning Network (CKLN), the project aims to foster collaboration and boost competitiveness of CARICOM Member States through education.
Launched in 2004 at the CARICOM Heads of Government Meeting in Grenada, CKLN is expected to swing into full gear by July 2005, through the support of a number of agencies. These include the CARICOM Secretariat, the Secretariat of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), Institute for Connectivity in the Americas (ICA), the European Union, the World Bank, the Organisation of American States (OAS) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
The network will operate in partnership with E-Link Americas, a Canadian not-for-profit corporation, which will provide the satellite connectivity to link regional tertiary institutions for the delivery of education through distance learning. The University of the West Indies (UWI) is expected to play a major role in the connectivity programme, with its 27 distance-learning centres earmarked for upgrading and integration with existing higher education colleges in the Region.
Director of the Distance Education Centre at UWI Cave Hill, Professor Stewart Marshall recently remarked that CKLN is a critical initiative that recognises the importance of collaboration and partnerships to the development of small island States.
As part of its focus, CKLN is designed to push the upgrading of tertiary institutions across the Region to increase their ability to use modern approaches to learning. It is felt that this approach will pave the way for better service to communities, as well as enable institutions to better plan and finance their activities.
CARICOM leaders anticipate that CKLN will enhance the global competitiveness of the Region, as nationals will be provided with avenues to upgrade their skills at affordable rates by way of distance education.
According to CKLN Project Coordinator, Mr. Ken Sylvester, the project is also aimed at streamlining the numerous distance education projects underway in the Caribbean, and will provide the institutional framework, technological infrastructure and mechanism to realise the dream of regional integration through open and distance learning.
