Women and girls access to education through Open and Distance Learning

Abstract

Education is an important aspect of life for every individual. With education one can maximize his or her potentials. In some parts of the world a right to education has been created and recognized, this right has enabled more people to have access to education through the support of governments. The development of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has further accelerated the growth of education enabling more people to have access, and is making education more flexible and accessible in any medium, whether it is accessed through the ICT platforms or through the conventional modes. While access is not an issue in those countries, in many less developed countries like Papua New Guinea (PNG) access to education is every government’s nightmare. // PNG's universal basic education (UBE) Plan endeavors to address the key pillars of access and retention, especially amongst girls who are often excluded from attending school. While the conventional system of education has excluded many women and girls from attending school or having access to school due to social, economical and cultural barriers, Open and Distance Learning Programs are giving this less fortunate group of people a chance to achieve their dreams. // This paper reports on a study of women and girls access to education in four main open campuses of the University Of Papua New Guinea Open College (UPNGOC). Although general perception holds that more male students are able to access education than female students, the data gathered from the four open campuses will prove whether this perception is true or not. The paper will look at socio, economic and cultural factors that are associated with access to education and how Open and Distance Learning is breaking new grounds to provide an alternative to education for women and girls in PNG. // Paper ID: 59