The Commonwealth of Learning: the Basics

Abstract

Meeting of COL’s Focal Points in the Caribbean, Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago, 28-30 March 2011, The Commonwealth of Learning: the basics, Sir John Daniel, Commonwealth of Learning // It is a pleasure to be here. As you know this is the first of four meetings in which we shall gather COL’s Focal Points together by region. Thank you so much for coming. This meeting will be followed by a similar event for the Africa region in Mauritius in May; one for Asia in Malaysia in September; and finally one for the Pacific in New Zealand in November. // These meetings have several purposes. First, COL wants to hear from you about the priorities for your countries in the areas of COL’s mission. After reviewing the priorities of all Commonwealth countries we shall be well equipped to design a three-year plan for COL for 2012-15 that answers your needs in an optimal fashion. // Second, in order to set the context, given that some of you are new since we last held this exercise in 2008, we shall remind you of COL’s purpose, status, organization and programme. I am starting this process now with a summary of the basics about what COL is; our Vice-President, Asha Kanwar, will follow up with an outline of our programme of work and then the two Education Specialists who have joined us for this Caribbean meeting, Dr. Madhulika Kaushik and Ms. Trudi van Wyk, will say more about the programme initiatives in our two sectors of Formal Education and Livelihoods and Health. // The third key aim – and we expect quite a few additional benefits as well – it to enable you to exchange with each other about the ambitions and experiences of your countries as they relate to COL’s mission. // I’ve called this presentation COL: the Basics.