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Expanding Sri Lanka's Postsecondary Education with Distance Learning

MANILA, PHILIPPINES (13 June 2003) - ADB is helping to modernize Sri Lanka's postsecondary education system through a US$45 million equivalent loan approved for a project to increase access to distance and on-line learning programs.

The Distance Education Modernization Project aims to provide a full range of quality courses for secondary school graduates who lack access to conventional universities by setting up a national network of telecenters and affiliated facilities in existing schools.

Over 18 years, the project will provide about 1.4 million additional students with access to postsecondary education.

Less than 3% of the university age group in Sri Lanka is enrolled in public universities - compared with 8% for South Asia as a whole - even though 25% meet university requirements.

"New learning technologies such as distance learning can deliver excellent yet low-cost academic programs to a wider public that is currently excluded from the conventional system," says William Loxley, an ADB Principal Education Specialist.

"Multimedia learning centers can be placed in schools, internet cafes, and many other institutions. They open up new educational opportunities, especially for those living in remote rural or conflict-affected areas."

The Government has been developing multimedia university programs on several campuses. Sri Lanka also has an Open University system enrolling about 10,000 students per year in certificate, diploma and degree programs.

Building on this, the project will boost the enrolment, quality, and relevance of distance learning by supporting a Distant Education Partnership Program (DEPP) for up to 200,000 students over five years. The project will:

• Set up more than 100 multimedia centers nationwide, and link 20,000 students of the 26 existing Open University centers and other public and private institutions via web-based multimedia courses and training.
• Expand the Open University system to double enrolment, modernize administration and facilities, streamline its information technology systems and financial management, and upgrade equipment and campuses.
• Promote public-private partnerships to increase access to postsecondary education, by providing matching funds for educational institutions to reduce borrowing costs, strengthen ongoing programs to increase enrollment, and support student scholarships. The project will also create linkages with foreign universities.

Building on synergies with other ADB and World Bank initiatives, the project is expected also to provide better online learning facilities for 165,000 existing external degree students of traditional universities and more than 40,000 enrolled at private postsecondary education institutions.

"The combined capacity of the private institutions, technical colleges, and Open University will effectively double over the next five years," says Mr. Loxley.

The total cost of the project is estimated at $60 million equivalent, of which the Government will provide $10 million and the local beneficiaries will finance the remaining $5 million equivalent.

ADB's loan, from its concessionary Asian Development Fund, will meet 75% of the cost. It has a 32-year term, including a grace period of eight years, with interest charged at 1.0% per annum during the grace period and 1.5% per annum subsequently.

The executing agency is the Ministry of Policy Development and Implementation. The project is due for completion by mid-2009.