Commonwealth of Learning

Published purpose

This grant represents Canada's institutional support to the Commonwealth of Learning (COL). The COL uses these funds, along with other donor funding, to achieve its mandate, which is to help governments, institutions and organizations expand the scale, efficiency and quality of learning by using appropriate open, distance and technology-enabled learning. Guided by its 2021-2027 Strategic Plan, the COL focuses its programming and advocacy using distance learning and technologies to achieve improved outcomes in education, skills development and lifelong learning across the Commonwealth. It acts as an enabler, a capacity-builder and a catalyst to empower people through learning that leads to economic growth, social inclusion and environmental conservation. Project activities of COL include: (1) improving the capacity of government staff to develop and implement appropriate open and distance learning (ODL) strategies, policies and programs; (2) improving the capacity of staff and trainers to use, implement and scale up gender-responsive, quality ODL opportunities offered by institutions; (3) facilitating access to learning opportunities, particularly for women and girls, through community sensitization and support; (4) providing mentorship and facilitating access to services and financial resources for entrepreneurship and livelihood development; and (5) establishing partnerships with labour markets, finance and the service industry to facilitate the transition between learning and its practical application in the market.