The Need for Policy Framework in Maintaining Quality in Open and Distance Education Pragrammes in Southern Africa

The ideals of education for all as proposed by UNESCO (2000) cannot be achieved without tapping into all the existing educational delivery systems. Open and distance education system has caught the attention of a number of Southern African Universities as a viable and ‘Siamese’ twin of the conventional education in achieving flexibility, open and greater access for the heterogeneous clientele of the region. Despite the glowing virtues of distance education, this mode is still looked down upon by some people as inferior to the conventional teaching and learning processes. Paradoxically, learning through the distance education mode has a greater potential to provide education for more learners than the conventional education system. In a dynamic society such as the Southern African region, development has made education a phenomenon that transcends the four walls of the formal classrooms. Thus, a policy framework is needed to ensure that quality education is provided for learners of diverse cultures, including economic background and geographical regions. Such a framework is not only a basic requirement for positive development of the newly emerging distance education institutions but also an essential instrument for the continued success of the long established institutions, both single and dual mode. The proposed policy framework addresses some of the following (i) academic (e.g. course integrity, transferability and accreditation); (ii) governance, (e.g. tuition, fiscal regulation); (iii) faculty (e.g. training, workload, support and evaluation); (iv) legal (e.g. intellectual property, students and institutional liability); (v) technical (e.g. physical delivery networks, systems reliability, setup and infrastructural support); (vi) culture and (vii) economics, (e.g. direct and indirect costs of distance education). All these aspects can deter or stimulate certain group of people to develop interest and consequently enrol for learning through the distance education mode. In this paper, our aim is to stimulate dialogue on the significance, scope of coverage and the processes of formulating a policy framework for maintaining academic excellence as opposed to mediocrity. We are, however, mindful of the fact that practices are diverse in the region, but regardless of this diversity, a regional policy framework is possible to regulate the planning, development and implementation of quality distance education programmes across all levels of education, with particular focus on higher institutions of learning.

___

  • Berge, Z. L. (1998). “Barriers to online Teaching in Post-Secondary Institutions: Can Policy Changes Fix It?”, Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, 1(2) (2/24/99).
  • Bottomley, J. & Calvert, J, (2003). Open & Distance Learning Policy Development: With particular reference to Dual Mode Institutions, Commonwealth of Learning, Vancouver, Canada pp. 2–6.
  • Braimoh, D. (2004). “Transforming Tertiary Institutions for Mass Higher Education through Distance and Open Learning Approaches in Africa: A telescopic view”, Journal of Distance Education, 10 (1) pp. 1-23.
  • Dodds, T. & Youngman, F., (1994). “Distance Education in Botswana: Progress and Prospects, Journal of Distance Education, (accessed on online 13/08/04).
  • Epper, R. M. (1999). “Excerpts from State Policies for Distance Education: A Survey of the States”. State Higher Education Executive Officers (SHEEO); at Accessed online 13/08/04 http://www.sheeo..org/sheeo/pubs-excerpts-from-technology-survey.html
  • Fehnel, R. (1993). “Preface”, In Parlich, G. & Orkin, M. (Eds.) Diversity and Quality: Academic Development at South African Tertiary Institutions, CASE, Johannesburg.
  • Gellman-Danley, B., & Fetzner, M. J., (1998) “Asking the really tough questions: Policy issues for distance learning”, Online Journal of Distance Administration, 1(1) Accessed online 13/08/04, at http://www.westga.edu/~distance/king32.html.
  • Higgs, P. (2000) “Nation building and the role of the University: A critical reflection”, South African Journal of Higher Education, 16 (2) 11–17.
  • King, J. W., Nugent, G. C., Russell, E. B., Eich, J. and Lacy, D. D (2000) “Policy Frameworks for Distance Education: Implications for Decision Makers”. Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration 3(2) http://www.westga.edu/~distance/king32.html. Accessed online on 13/08/04
  • Kinyanjui, P. (1997) Establishment of National Policies on Distance Education for Developing Countries, Vancouver, Canada.
  • Reddy, J. (1992) “ The Transformation of South African Universities: the Perspective of a historically black University”, In Taylor, C. A., (Ed.) Tertiary Education in a Changing South Africa, University of Port Elizabeth.
  • Rowley, D. J., Lujah, H.D. & Dolence, M. G. (1997) Strategic Changes in Colleges and Universities, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.
  • Simonson, M., Smaldmo, S., Albright, M. & Zvacek, S. (2000), Teaching and Learning at a Distance, Upper Saddle, N. J. Prentice-Hall.
  • Simsek, H. & Louis, K. S. (1994) “Organizational Change as a Paradigm Shift: Analysis of the Change Process in a Large Public University”, Journal of Higher Education, 65 (6) 670 –695.
  • UNESCO, (2000) The Dakar Framework for Action, Education for All: Meeting our Collective Commitments, World Education Forum, Paris, France.