Empowering Visually Impaired Learners in Solomon Islands: Graduation Marks a Milestone in Inclusive Education
In a significant step towards fostering inclusivity and independence, thirty blind and visually impaired individuals graduated earlier this month from the "Taep fo Laef" and literacy programmes in Honiara, Solomon Islands. The training programmes, led by the Blind and Vision Impaired Persons Support Initiative (BVIPSI) with support from COL, focused on equipping visually impaired persons with essential skills for greater independence, employability, and inclusion in society.
The graduation ceremony, held in the week of the United Nations International Day of Persons with Disabilities, celebrated the achievements of the participants in the presence of distinguished guests, including Dr Franco Rodie, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development (MEHRD). The cohort of 200 individuals with disabilities benefited from this initiative, with the graduating group marking a significant advance in their personal and professional journeys.
The "Taep fo Laef" programme concentrated on imparting practical skills such as computer literacy, daily living techniques, and employability skills to help participants navigate their environments more effectively. In parallel, the literacy programme offered foundational training in essential reading and writing skills, including phonological awareness, letter recognition, blending sounds, and sentence construction. These competencies aimed to bridge educational gaps and provide participants with opportunities for greater engagement in education, employment, and community life.
The graduation ceremony showcased inspiring demonstrations of the participants' progress in these areas, toward greater self-reliance and confidence, underscoring the transformative impact of the programmes.
Addressing the graduates via video link, Dr Betty Ogange, COL’s Education Specialist: Teacher Education, highlighted the organisation’s commitment to advancing learning in underserved communities. She noted that the "Taep fo Laef" programme exemplifies how innovative delivery methods can empower visually impaired individuals to lead independent and fulfilling lives.
For the participants, the programmes provided more than skill development—they fostered a sense of belonging and community, empowering them to navigate a world often not designed with their needs in mind. The success of this activity underscores the power of collaboration and the impact of committed partnerships.
The programmes were made possible with technical expertise from COL and were supported by a grant to COL by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, New Zealand.
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Micro-credentials: Towards qualification recognition, mobility and stackability
Micro-credentials refer to a form of certification that is evidence of achievement of specific knowledge, skills or competencies after someone has gone through a structured learning experience. Furthermore, micro-credentials have the potential to support the mobility of qualifications across countries and allow for the stacking of many short-term training opportunities to acquire qualifications that are recognised for employment. This is especially relevant in an increasingly competitive, globalised, and technology-oriented work environment that requires employees to be lifelong learners.
In the Commonwealth, using micro-credentials is at a nascent stage. Hence, the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) recently started a Commonwealth-wide project: Developing a Commonwealth Credit Transfer Framework: Micro-credentials in a Digital Age. A consultative process has already started that will inform the framework, involving research and several regional consultation meetings.
In this context, Dr Jako Olivier, Adviser: Higher Education COL, recently interviewed Professor Rebecca Ferguson, an expert on micro-credentials, to discuss a recent publication written by her and co-author COL Chair Denise Whitelock entitled Microcredentials for Excellence: A Practical Guide.
The interview provides an overview of the concept of micro-credentials and the nature and relevance of a pedagogy of micro-credentials. Furthermore, the ways in which learning opportunities could be expanded, and employment-related training could be strengthened using micro-credentials were also covered. COL’s project around the Commonwealth Credit Transfer Framework for Micro-credentials was also discussed.
Watch the full interview (20:36) here: youtu.be/IclAjrVyuBQ
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Registration fees for the Eleventh Pan-Commonwealth Forum on Open Learning (PCF11) are now available! pcf11.org/registration/
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