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Education in Africa is no more a debatable topic like what it had been for years. With the rapid growth in technology moreover, countries like Nigeria have now managed to bring over 4.8 million internet users. This is indeed an amazing achievement and a matter of pride for the African continent where Nigeria has emerged to be the only nation with the highest population online.
Furthermore, the importance of distance learning has been recognised by the Nigerian National Policy in providing lifelong education, which would act as the base for the education policy of the country. It also stated that an individual after completing junior secondary education will be allowed to either continue full-time courses by blending work and studies, or embark on a full-time employment without considering the option to pursue higher studies later.
Objectives of the Nigeria National Policy
The Nigeria National Policy clearly stated their objectives of offering open and distance learning:
- Giving individuals the opportunity to access quality education and ensuring justice in educational opportunities for those who had been denied earlier
- Helping employers meet their needs through special certificate courses for their employees at work
- Inspire globalisation among students dealing with tertiary education curriculum
- Restructure the internal and external effect of brain drain in tertiary institutions by taking help of teachers or experts regardless of their workplaces
The policy also set guidelines as what should be the nature of Open Distance Learning. Here are some of them:
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- There must be interactive texts available for both teaching and learning for all academic open distance learning courses. With the help of DVDs, USBs and CD-ROMs, interactive learning will be strengthened to a good extent
- Students will not be required to attend classes or sit face to face with their instructors. However, in case of examinations or practicum, students will have to be present.
- As far as the system of study centres is concerned, it should not only ensure academic support but social support must also be given
- The partnership creators especially in university centres will be offering reasonable means of providing study centres.
- There will be continuous assessment as well as summative assessment that would include examinations and portfolios enabling validation of achievement.
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The National Open University of Nigeria has now matriculated more than 1,400 students who had earlier applied for different university open courses. Even the director and the Vice Chancellor, Magaret Boro, emphasised on the fact as why it’s very important for students to enrol with NOUN in comparison to the traditional universities. “Young people were not coming here before because they thought it is a school for the elderly. But today, they are coming even for their first degrees. Capacity in conventional universities is inadequate and so they come here,” said Magaret. (Source:bit.ly/1gDW3r6)
So, students in Africa who have been deprived from pursuing higher studies under accredited universities would now be able to make their dreams come true with the benefits of open distance learning courses. Although Nigeria has already achieved loads of success in these years, plenty of innovations are on the way to strengthen its educational standards.
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