Education opens doors to success, and online and distance education offer convenient access to learning for those who would otherwise not have the opportunity to widen their horizons. Which is why most countries are streamlining their online offerings; the latest to do are the Caribbean Isles.

In order to boost the number of citizens who enroll in tertiary educational programs, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has tied up with the Caribbean Knowledge and Learning Network (CKLN) to establish regional e-learning services across the Caribbean. CKLN will provide the latest information and communications technologies needed to interconnect all the universities and colleges within CARICOM, so that they can offer e-learning programs through the regional network, CARIBNET.

Through this endeavor, CARICOM hopes to raise the number enrolled in tertiary courses (degrees, diplomas, certificate courses) from the present 20 percent to 30 percent by the year 2015. CKLN also hopes to enhance the standard of education in the region by facilitating all tertiary institutions in the Caribbean to pool their resources along with those of a few international universities, and in the process be able to develop and offer online learning at relatively reduced costs.