Distance education and open learning can be flexible and cost effective. It is particularly important for women and others unable to attend full-time education in rural areas. However, while South Africa has around fifty providers, the rest of sub-Saharan Africa has very few.

Reports from the South African Institute for Distance Education (SAIDE) chart the current state of distance education and open learning in Africa and show that it is an affordable alternative to traditional schools, colleges and universities that are based on personal contact between teachers and students.

Distance education and open learning is constrained by the fact that roads, telecommunications and postal systems are often not sufficiently reliable to meet the requirements of effective distance education provision. Most countries cannot afford the expenses of establishing the infrastructure and human resources required to introduce relevant information and communication technologies (ICTs).

SAIDE researchers found that many of those responsible for distance education and open learning planning lacked basic information regarding the costing of their courses, did not know the level of subsidy they were receiving and made no projections about how enrolment might be expected to grow or decrease. Few could quantify how much time they spend in individual consultation with students, whether in person, by telephone or email.

Other findings are that:

• Many distance education institutions use standardised curricula not relevant to local needs.
• Face-to-face tutorial support is regarded as critical to learner success, but is too expensive to implement.
• There is not much professional development for educational and administrative staff members.
• Innovation in distance education relies heavily on unsustainable sources of funding from donors.
• Information dissemination and marketing is often poor with learners having unrealistic expectations about requirements and benefits of courses.

Successful distance education programmes could be replicated across the continent. South Africa has shown how elderly rural teachers with outdated qualifications can be assisted. A self-study programme in Kenya for teachers and school inspectors has provided a service where there was a lack of traditional in-service training programmes and encouraged tens of thousands to reflect on their teaching practice. South Africa has trained thousands of literacy trainers who are now working in their communities. Mali is using videoconferencing to update the skills of doctors in isolated regions.

Distance education courses offering regular face-to-face contact can be sustainable on reasonable fees when enrolments reach about 500 learners and local tutors are engaged to provide contact support. Correspondence-type courses with limited learner support and limited recurring investment in course and materials design should be able to

cover operational costs from student fees alone.

Distance education and open learning must be linked to ICTs planning. Africa needs a critical mass of trained educators able to keep abreast of the ever-changing nature of ICTs. Governments must develop plans to deal with the technical and administrative problems that arise with their introduction.

Key criteria for quality distance education are that:

• providers have up-to-date detailed information about past, present and potential learners and improve opportunities to identify and support learners who are dropping out
• course curricula are well researched, with aims and learning outcomes appropriate to the level of study
• assessment is properly managed and meets the requirements of accreditation bodies and employers
• learners are provided with a range of opportunities for real two-way communication
• collaborative relationships are formed with other education providers, civil society and local government to overcome difficulties of employing sufficient staff who are appropriately qualified in rural areas.

Source(s):
‘Distance Education and Open Learning in sub-Saharan Africa: Criteria and Conditions for Quality and Critical Success Factors’, by the South African Institute for Distance Education, 2004 Full document.
‘Costing Distance Education and Open Learning in sub-Saharan Africa: a Survey of Policy and Practice’ by the Working Group on Distance Education and Open Learning, Commonwealth of Learning, January 2004 Full document.

Funded by: Association for the Development of Education in Africa, Commonwealth of Learning and Kellogg Foundation

id21 Research Highlight: 31 March 2006

Further Information:
Jennifer Glennie
South African Institute for Distance Education
PO Box 31822
Braamfontein 2017
South Africa

Tel: +27 11 403 2813
Fax: +27 11 403 2814
Contact the contributor: jennyg@saide.org.za

Contact the contributor: neilshel@icon.co.za

South African Institute for Distance Education

Other related links:
'Distant future: new developments in open and distance learning'

'Can virtual education travel South?'

'African distance learning: reaching parts other education systems cannot reach?'

'Basic education at a distance – new strategies for achieving Education For All'

'Distance education: can quality be assured in an expanding market?'

'Teaching teachers: a role for distance education?'

'Cutting through the techno-hype: new technologies and education'