Non-formal distance education

From Mongol Studies Online Reference

The Mongolian government through its Ministry of Education, and often in conjunction with NGOs and outside government organizations, has implemented non-formal distance education programs promoting basic skill development. About 100,000 of Mongolia's 1,200,000 adults are taking part in some form of distance education.^[1] The program often uses radio communications in order to overcome the problem of distance. This is particularly suitable to nomads, since their mobile lifestyles are not conducive to landline connections. The focus of these distance education programs is on rural populations that are in need of more skills than their urban counterparts. The radio classes are conducted using booklets sent to the participants and video instruction at learning centers. They are designed to help adults learn about a variety of topics that they might find useful in everyday life. Subjects such as nutrition, first aid, and hygiene are taught to help improve health. Classes ranging in topic from wool production to cooking to saddle-making are also taught as ways to help rural people improve existing skills and even possibly generate income from handiwork. Likewise, basic business classes on production, accounting, and marketing are taught as ways to improve rural residents' financial situation. There are courses using classic fairy tales to teach literacy, and also classes on math and current events.^[2] Non-formal education is also one of the only ways for students who dropped out of school to attain a primary school equivalency education. From 2000 to 2004 28,356 students earned this equivalency through the non-formal program.^[3]

Each of Mongolia's 21 aimags has its own Education and Culture Department which administers both formal and non-formal education programs within its borders. Each aimag is responsible for developing the content of their programs and implementing them. For the non-formal distance education, however, there are also two country-wide programs: “The National Program of Non-Formal Education Development” and the “National Program for Distance Education.” Pedagogical training for the intructors is taken care of by the Center for Non-formal Education, which is part of Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (MOECS). There is also a National Education Inspection Service that monitors the programs, so it not clear how much how much control the national-level of the Ministry of Education compared to the aimag-level.^[4]

The non-formal distance education program also makes use of "enlightenment centers," often located in schools or government offices, to distribute educational materials.^[5]

Contents 1 Also see 2 Specific projects 3 Funding and support sources 4 Further reading 5 References

[edit] Also see

• Education
• ICT infrastructure
• Literacy

[edit] Specific projects

Gobi Nomadic Women's Project

[edit] Funding and support sources

• UNICEF program to help children who drop out from school.^[6]
• Government of Denmark (funded the Gobi Nomadic Women’s Project)

[edit] Further reading

• Altantsetseg, S, Gantsog, Ts.. (2002). Financing state higher education in Mongolia: constraints and opportunities. Accessed 9 July 2008.
• International Bureau of Education. UNESCO. (March, 2003). Country dossier: Mongolia. Accessed 7 July 2008.
• EFA 2000 Assessment: Mongolia Country Report. Accessed 7 July 2008.
• Otgonjargal, Okhidoi (2003) Mongolia. International Comparative Higher Education Finance and Accessibility Project. Accessed 9 July 2008.
• Report of the National Program on Non-Formal Education: 2000-2004, National Centre for Non-formal and Distance Education (2005). Ulaanbaatar.
• Robinson, B. (1995). Mongolia in transition: a role for distance education. Open Learning, 10, 3-14. Accessed 7 July 2008.

[edit] References

1. ↑ Del Rosario, Mercedes. “Mongolian Dropout Study.” Mongolian Education Alliance Ulaanbataar, Mongolia, 2005. Accessed 9 July 2008.
2. ↑ Robinson, Bernadette. “In the Green Desert: Non-Formal Distance Education Project for Women in the Gobi Desert, Mongolia.” Education for All: Making it Work Innovation Series, 12. UNESCO, Paris, France (1997) 1-41.
3. ↑ Del Rosario, Mercedes. “Mongolian Dropout Study.” Mongolian Education Alliance Ulaanbataar, Mongolia, 2005. Accessed 9 July 2008.
4. ↑ Del Rosario, Mercedes. “Mongolian Dropout Study.” Mongolian Education Alliance Ulaanbataar, Mongolia, 2005. Accessed 9 July 2008.
5. ↑ Robinson, Clinton and Otgonbayar, Chultem. "Surch Amidarya: Learning for Life Non-formal Basic Distance Education in Mongolia Impact Evaluation." United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, New York, 2003. Accessed 9 July 2008.
6. ↑ "Mongolia: Fostering Partnerships with Parents." UNICEF, 2004. Accessed 9 July 2008.