FLEXIBLE OPEN DISTANCE EDUCATION (FODE) PROGRAM

What is FODE?
KTF delivers an alternative or ‘second-chance’ high school education program for early school leavers wanting to reconnect with formal schooling and graduate at a Grade 12 level. This PNG-endorsed program is called: Flexible Open Distance Education (FODE) and KTF offers two main streams to people from remote and rural areas:

• A pathway for early school leavers to re-enter at the grade level they previously completed via traditional schooling, and then progress on to complete Grade 12.

• A pathway for people who did not receive the end-of-school Grades required to gain entry into tertiary schooling, giving them a second chance to “upgrade” their marks to gain entry into tertiary study.

Second-chance education pathways, like FODE, are critical for people living across remote and rural Papua New Guinea who have been barred from traditional schooling due to the remoteness of living conditions, limited spaces in secondary schools, shortage of qualified teachers, limited funds or family and community commitments.

KTF's FODE program helps overcome typical barriers encountered in the traditional school system, which often hinder students' access to education. We do this by offering; fee-free secondary education, high-quality infrastructure and educational resources, flexible learning arrangements, rigorous monitoring of attendance and assignments, student development tracking as well as tailored ongoing education and study support for grades 9-12. Giving our students the tools, support and resources to gain entry to further education or employment opportunities.

KTF delivers 13 FODE programs across Oro, Western, National Central District (NCD) and New Ireland Province.

ORO FODE

At Kokoda College, prioritising students wanting to study education or health pathways, we offer PNG’s Flexible & Open Distance Education course, upgrading Grade 9 school leavers to Grade 12. We continue to support our graduates who train as teachers or health workers, to create a consistent pipeline of these vital professions into rural and remote communities where they are desperately needed.

WESTERN FODE

Our educational hub in Balimo, Western Province, offers the Flexible Open Distance Education (FODE) Program to students who are committed to pathways in teaching and community health work. Our campus is upgrading people from remote and rural Middle Fly district and has expanded to offer second-chance education pathways to four additional locations in Western Province.

NCD FODE

Located in the heart of the community of the traditional landowners of Port Moresby, the Motu Koita FODE Centre opened ‘virtually’ as the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the world. Recently, we added a new addition, the Pari & Taurama FODE Centre, with the aim of bringing critical second-chance education pathways to these communities, often left behind.

KTF’s FODE program provides critical education pathways to rural and remote communities - improving a range of development outcomes across PNG including education, health, employment, law & order and gender equality - transforming lives, livelihoods and futures.