Financial problems forces Salvos to close services

 THE Salvation Army has closed its Flexible Open Distance Education (FODE) services in Port Moresby due to financial strain on the internal resources to maintain its operations.

Secretary for Salvation Army programmes in Papua New Guinea Major Kevin Unicomb said students will be provided with transfer notes with the hope that they can continue their education with other FODE campuses in the country. 

The FODE has always relied on the fees paid by the students together with grants and materials made available by the national Department of Education to provide the service.  

“We are particularly mindful of our students at this sad time,” Unicomb said.

The Salvation Army in Papua New Guinea established a then College of Distance Education (CODE) now (FODE), in affiliation with the national Department of Education in 1980.  

The centre was opened specifically for the purpose of upgrading the formal education of the Pastors of The Salvation Army.  

Due to its success the FODE centre was opened to students from the public.

In 2007 new facilities were built and The Salvation Army FODE centre continued to provide this service successfully to students who were pushed out of the national education system.