The Flexible, Open and Distance Education (FODE) will host a total of 8, 300 students nationwide to sit for the grade 12 mid-semester exams in the first week of July. FODE Principal Mr. Anthony Rayappan said, the idea for the students to take up the mid-semester exams is for students to apply through the DHERST online portal to the tertiary intuitions. “This is a very good thing because, the FODE grade 12 students were considered as Non-School Leavers and now this time, they are considered as School Leavers, and they will be considered in the online DHERST selection system.” Mr. Rayapan added that, all these students are from the 22 FODE centers across the country. Meanwhile, the Flexible, Open and Distance Education is the dedicated entity that offers open and distance learning pathway as an integral part of the National Education System. It comes under the FODE and Inclusive Education Division of the Department of Education. It is a School at home, where students study the same secondary education curriculum in their own time, in their own homes, and at their own pace. The main objectives of FODE are: - To improve access to higher education - To increase gross enrolments (GER) - To provide opportunities for lifelong learning