Palau Plan 1

Palau Distance Education Initiative

Thinking Globally, Acting Locally

Results of a program development
workshop conducted in Koror Palau

June 14-15 2001

PLAN SUMMARY

Background and Situation

Concerning demographics

Situation:

The Republic of Palau is somewhat geographically isolated. While it has a population of 19,000 people who reside in 19 States, the country consists of only196 sq miles of landmass. The Republic of Palau is located at 7N & 133E. The country became fully independent from the United States in 1998. However, Palau remains eligible for a number of US federal grant and loan programs under the Compact of Free Association. The 60 miles between Peleliu and Babeldaob is strewn with hundreds of rock islands.
The island of Sonsoral, located 180 miles from the town of Koror, can only be accessed by small boat four times a year. Each trip takes 18 hours and costs $7,000. Transportation of infrastructure materials takes 48 hours and costs $8,000.

Note: Insert a summary of statistical information that "paints a picture" about Palau’s general social, political and geographic composition. Refer to the CIA’s website and look under "world facts" Palau for an example of the kinds of data and information that should be included here. The main point is to show through the presentation of data, that Palau is remote, isolated, and thus reflects conditions and service delivery issues often time found in developing countries.

Implications

Note: Insert some of the implications that are alluded to in the above situational information.

Concerning economic conditions:

Situation

Statistics show that about 60% of foreign workers in the labor force in Palau. Important to reverse this trend, we would like to have Palauans become more responsible and accountable for their work. We would like money to remain in Palau and to improve personal life styles.
Well over 50% of Palau’s workforce is made up of guest workers. It is estimated that __% or $___ of the income earned by these workers leaves the island, thus resulting in minimal economic benefit to native Palauans.

Note: Insert additional factual information about Palauan employment patterns (i.e. Where do they work? how many in labor force? What is the average salary? Unemployment (or people not working rate) especially amongst out of school teenagers

Needs and problem to be addressed:

Palau citizens, especially high school aged youth, lack the vocational training required for entry level positions in a number of Palau’s employment sectors (i.e. tourism, construction, clerical, managerial, etc.).

Note: Insert additional problems and needs that are alluded to in the above situational information.

Concerning the situation regarding public health:

Situation:

Palau’s overall health care delivery system faces a number of unique challenges.

The health implications of being in a development paradigm involving both very modern and developing country dimensions at the same time presents local health care policy makers and practitioners alike with the dual task of having to combat infectious diseases common of developing countries while at the same time having to deal with issues brought on by unhealthy life styles common to developed countries.
Recent studies (i.e. HRSA, PIHOA, etc.) have highlighted the fact that, to often, health care practitioners in Palau are professionally isolated and under trained. At the present time there are no medical schools or prerequisite training schools in Palau. The physician workforce is very small (how small?). As a result, it is difficult to send physicians and other healthcare personnel away for training for extended periods of time. By doing so, the overall health care system is left understaffed.
The Ministry of Health is charged with providing preventative healthcare for the people of Palau. It is also responsible for arranging and providing on-going healthcare training for its healthcare workers. This costs a great deal. In 2000, it is estimated that ___was spent on sending health care professionals off-island for continuing education and training. Using outside trainers and consultants to conduct workshops and seminars on Palau is also very expensive. Last year alone, more than $ was required to conduct # seminars and workshops. These seminars and workshops only involved # participants.

Another major challenge that has to be confronted by those involved in the delivery of health care services to the residents of Palau, has to do with geographic remoteness, lack of communications the southwest Islands and the limited availability of trained personnel and equipment in the outlying states.

For example often times, the unpredictable nature of ship schedules results in outer island nurses, missing he few training opportunities that are presented to them.
Also the health care practitioners face great difficulty in responding to emergencies in outlying areas. Again, lack of transportation and round-the-clock communications are the root causes.

Needs and problem to be addressed:

Health practitioners, at all levels within the system, lack continuing education and training opportunities.
Existing capabilities of health care providers to respond to emergency medical situations in the more remote and isolated parts of the country are not adequate.

Note: Insert additional problems and needs that are alluded to in the above situational information.

Concerning Education:

Situation:

Palau’s public and private education systems service more than ____ students. The System is comprised of ____ elementary and secondary schools. Of this number, ___ are located in the outer islands (i.e. insert a map showing school locations and enrollment). Given such a far-flung system, the question of how best to ensure that all citizens have equal access to educational resources regardless of location, is of paramount importance.

To often, less qualified teachers are sent to remote islands. These teachers often miss training sessions due to poor communications and lack of transportation. As a result, students who happen to live in out lying areas, do not get as good an education as students who happen to live in the more populated, urban parts of the country.

A recent study (Palau 2000 ???) brought to the surface the fact that the failure rate amongst students living in outlaying areas who taking high school entrance exams is much higher than the national average. To often students loose interest and drop out of school. In 2000, the school drop-out rate reached ___ %.
Modern classroom settings have changed immensely. As a result, the need for existing teachers at all levels within the system need to be provided with opportunities for continuing education and training. Unfortunately, the high cost and other logistical difficulties involved in transporting teachers to central locations so that such training can be conducted severely limits such training opportunities.
Last year, the Ministry was forces to downgrade and/or curtail several important parts of the curriculum that was normally taught in the first four grade levels because the children simply lacked thte prerequisite knowledge needed to handle that material.

Needs and problem to be addressed:

Students living in more remote and isolated areas of the country, lack the same level of access to educational resources as those living in the more urbanized areas of the country.
Often times, teachers and school administrators assigned to schools in remote areas lack the sufficient knowledge and skills required to deliver high quality educational programs to their students.

Note: Insert additional problems and needs that are alluded to in the above situational information.

Concerning distance education resources and telecommunications.

Situation:

Palau enjoys a world-class local telephone system with circuits to 99% of the people. However, currently the southwest islands only have HF radio connections. Internet is available and ISDN and DSL circuits are available from the local telecom. Usage rates for off-Island telecommunication links to both Asia and North America are expensive. High off-island usage rates are due in part to heavy debt load incurred while establishing the local telecommunications infrastructure and the fact that Palau is not eligible for rates under the North American numbering system that the residents of Guam and the CNMI enjoy.

Needs and problem to be addressed:

The high cost of off-island service limits the ability of the Ministries of Health and Education to capitalize on off-island resources for needed staff development and training, diagnostic services and program enhancements.
Presently, there is insufficient telecommunications infrastructure to provide equitable access to health and education services in the southern states.

Concerning past successes and failures:

Note: Insert additional description about past and present experiences ("war stories") related to different distance education projects and activities. Here, the idea is to demonstrate both the capabilities of different Palauan Government agencies and organizations as well as to highlight some of the lessons learned through previous distance education program efforts.

Goals:

Two prerequisite challenges will have to be met in order for the people of Palau to derive full benefit from emerging global capabilities related to distance education.

First: Some mechanism (possibly a subsidy scheme) needs to be created in an effort to reduce the current high cost of off-island telecommunications services for educational and health related activities. In devising such a mechanism, efforts will need to be made to not unduly erode the ability of the Palau National Communications Corporation to meet its loan and bond repayment schedules associated with the local telephone infrastructure that has been put in place during the past decade.

Second: Additional infrastructure investments will be required in the southern states in order to meet the constitutional mandate, that all Palauans, regardless of place of residence, will be provided with equal access to needed public services and facilities.

If efforts to meet these two prerequisite challenges are successful, distance education can serve as the general framework or utility through which Palauan’s can realize their dreams, aspirations and visions for a better life. Within this broad context, the following programmatic goals will be achieved:

All Palauans will have equitable access to non-formal adult education opportunities through the establishment of community based learning centers in all states that are configured and equipped for distance education program delivery and reception.
Health care practitioners as elementary and secondary teachers well be provided ongoing continuing education and training opportunities in ways that are cost effective, financially sustainable and do not require extensive off-island travel.
Youth, of all ages, regardless of place of residence, will have equal access to a nation-wide system of learning resources that is uniquely suited and designed to provided needed readiness skills and knowledge and attitudes for entry level positions in Palau’s diverse employment sectors and/or continuation on to a post secondary education.

Rational:

The intuitive rests on a conceptual foundation based on the philosophy that it is better to take learning to the people, rather than requiring people to come to the learning. Such a philosophy has special meaning in the Republic of Palau because the physical characteristics of the country simple make it very difficult for people to travel long distances to participate in educational activities.

Specific objectives include:

Objective: Develop an on-line inservice training program for existing teachers.
Description of Activity	Deliverables	Time table	Resource requirments
Conduct a personal audit to determine teacher qualifications.	Individual audits of teachers.
Develop a set of standards against which to evaluate current teacher credentials.	A list of standards against which classroom teachers will be evaluated.
Install needed infrastructure.	List of coursed taken by teachers in remote areas.
Install collaborative relationships.	Listing of meetings and communications between teachers.
Initiate a specialized program for teachers	Number of teachers certified annually under the program.
Establish a scholarship program specifically for teacher training.	A implemented scholarship program.

Objective: Improve the employment potential of unemployed Palauans by strengthen Palau’s GED Program so that more people will have, as a minimum, a high school diploma and providing short-term supportive training.
Description of Activity	Deliverables	Time table	Resource requirments
Provide four preparatory classes per week in social studies, English, science and math to increase the success rate in passing the GED test.	Courses will be developed and taught.	Fall	Teachers, materials, classroom, salaries.
Provide short-term training.	Participants will receive certificates of completion.	Spring	Trainers, materials, classrooms, salaries.
Provide personal development courses related to motivation, attitude and perserverence for the unemployed.	Actual development of courses and number of courses held.	Spring and Summer	Trainers, materials, classrooms and salaries.

Objective
Description of Activity	Deliverables	Time table	Resource requirments

Objective
Description of Activity	Deliverables	Time table	Resource requirments

Objective
Description of Activity	Deliverables	Time table	Resource requirments

Concerning Element #1:

Assessment Question	Assessment Indicators and Assessment Methods

Concerning Element #2:

Assessment Question	Assessment Indicators and Assessment Methods

Concerning Element #3:

Assessment Question	Assessment Indicators and Assessment Methods

Self-sustainability:

Concerning the potential for continued funding…

Attachment D

Scope of Work (Optional)

Guam Cooperative Extension
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
University of Guam

Element #1:

ActivitIES

Anticipated OUTCOMES

Time Table

Element #2:.

Activities

Anticipated Outcomes

Time Table

Element #3:

Activities

Anticipated Outcomes

Time Table