The Colombo Plan Staff College (CPSC), in its continued pursuit to respond to the challenges in the TVET systems amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, organized the Open Registration Program on Development of Distance Learning Programs in TVET. Conducted from February 22-26, 2021, the program trained 16 TVET professionals from Malaysia and the Philippines.

The program was designed to assist TVET institutions to strengthen their institutional capacity on designing, developing and implementing e-learning courses. The program resource persons shared their expertise on understanding the principles, methodologies, and techniques of online learning, on familiarizing about ADDIE model for the design and development of e-learning courses, how to develop a learning management system via Moodle and Blackboard and on authoring tool.

The following institutions from Malaysia joined the program namely, Kolej Kemahiran Tinggi MARA Ledang (KKTM Ledang), Kolej Kemahiran Tinggi MARA Kuantan (KKTM Kuantan), MARA Japan Industrial Institute and Politeknik Ibrahim Sultan (PIS). From the Philippines, the TESDA TVIs namely, Simeon Suan Vocational and Technical College (SSVTC), Calubian National Vocational School, Camarines Sur Institute of Fisheries and Marine Sciences and Agusan del Sur School of Arts and Trades attended the program.

Dr. Ramhari Lamichhane, CPSC Director General, acted as Program Supervisor, while Engr. Abdul Ghani Rajput, CPSC Faculty Specialist was the Program Coordinator and Resource Person. Other Resource Persons were Engr. Sanyog Bhattarai, CPSC Faculty Specialist and Mr. Felix Sibal, ICT Officer. Dr. Lamichhane, in his closing remarks conveyed to the committed and very professional participants and their institutions his profound appreciation for joining and supporting the program. He said that, “The COVID pandemic has taught us a lot, to bring about innovations and creativity of institutions to redesign and rethink our learning environment.” He further said that he hoped that the program has equipped the participants’ teaching capacity towards ICT and digital technology as well as encourage top managements of their institutions to invest on ICT and to invest on ICT and digital technology to create innovations in blended teaching and learning delivery.

Engr. Rajput in his Vote of Thanks during the Closing program noted the participants’ enthusiasm to learn new things particularly on ICT tools and platforms to utilize in the development of digital learning resources. He expressed his gratitude to all the participants who had been very cooperative and active learners throughout the program.

The participants expressed their satisfaction on the program and wished for similar programs to be offered in the future.