Fode students selected for gr11 at conventional schools

By GLENDA AWIKIAK
More than 300 grade 10 students from Flexible Open and Distance Education (Fode) centres have been selected for grade 11 in conventional schools next year.
Principal Anthony Rayappan said these were students who enrolled at Fode centres in the provinces as fulltime correspondence students.
“These are our eligible students,” he said. “We have marketed them and their selection was completed this week.
“This does not mean these students can’t come back to continue at the Fode centres. They can still come back and continue their grade 11 here. Fode is an inclusive learning.
“Whether you are eligible or you are not eligible, you can come and repeat or upgrade or further your education at your own pace.
“Our upgraders who had low GPA and upgraded one or two of their subjects can also seek placing in the conventional schools, but they will be considered as non-school leavers.”
Meantime, the National Education Board and the Teaching Service Commission has approved additional teaching positions in all Fode centres for full time tutors.
Rayappan said they had 80 new teaching positions approved by TSC.
“We will look at venues that need more teachers according to enrolments they have, and will post the teachers accordingly,” he said.
“We have teachers on the ground now, and with government support and grants from the department, we will try our best to implement and facilitate all those students.
“Influx of students will be facilitated as we already would have tutors on the ground. The only challenge for us is the issuing of learning resource materials to all our students.
“We started to issuing tablets as an option to address limited resource materials.”