Open/distance learning for 'front-line' health workers
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Source: health-l@zamnet.zm
Happy New Year.
I am writing to seek your advice...
The British Council is in discussion with the Main College of Health
Sciences in Zambia (Chainama) about piloting open learning for health
staff in the field.
Chainama currently runs about 20 in-service courses per year for field
staff (nursing officers; clinical officers; environmental health tech-
nicians etc.) reaching about 400 per annum of the total population of
6000.
The Zambian health reforms will require field staff to become more mul-
tidisciplinary. This will involve Chainama in a major re-training ef-
fort, as well as in developing a mechanism to sustain learning and
knowledge-building among field staff. For this reason I suggested to
them that they look at open or distance learning mechanisms.
I would like to find out if any of you know of any contacts in develop-
ing countries that have already tried to implement an open learning
scheme for this level of staff. I am assuming that the issues to be ad-
dressed for this type of scheme will not be the same as those faced by,
say, students in big cities studying for Masters' by distance learning.
Most grateful for your advice.
Mark Fryars
mailto:mfryars@zamnet.zm
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