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Distance Education is a technology driven education process through which students and instructors are separated by distance and/or time formal education process and system where students and instructors are separated by distance and sometimes also time. It is an appropriate method for developing counrties, such as Africa, to improve its population’s skills and to provide them with lifelong learning opportunities, which lead to economic growth for that developing country (Juma, 2001, p.289). In Africa there are 250 institutions that provide education, but most are unable to provide an adequate number of places to meet the demand of potential students(Ekhaguere, 2000, p. 374). Distance education may be the cost effective solution to meet these needs in Africa. Many African countries have an education of all policy and believe education is crucial in the national building process (Kala, 1995, p. 229).
The University of South Africa (UNISA) was the first university in Africa to establish distance education courses in 1964 (Juma, 2001, p. 292). Several organisations from over the world have established initiatives to aid Africa with developing distance education systems. This organisations include the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), The Commonwealth of Learning (COL) and the International Council for Distance Education (ICDE). Also African professional associations have been established, which has been highly effective in enhancing international cooperation within Africa (Kinyanjui, 1996, [URL]).
Education for all in Africa has become and is becoming less achievable due to the many challenges that face distance education in African countries. This is many due to the decreasing socio-economic state of many African countries (Kala, 1995, p. 230). Another challenge facing distance education in Africa is the high demand for education with its increasing population. Distance education and the use of communication and information technologies (ICTs) have been underutilised as a solution to this problem again due to challenges (Darkwa & Mazibuko, 2000, [URL]). The progress that was made by African countries in regards to distance education has been set back by challenges that include inadequate funding, civil unrest throughout regions in Africa, lack of sufficient and clearly defined national policies on distance education, availability to internet access and connectivity, technological constraints, infrastructure, lack of trained professionals, cultural bias and the deficiency of high level political support (Darkwa & Mazibuko, 2000, [URL]) & (Ekhaguere, 2000, p. 377). Finance and policy orientation affect provision of materials, the workforce and student support, which are challenges that could be met through partnership and collaboration between educational institutes in Africa and institutes within Africa and internationally (Juma, 2001, p.297).
The AVU is the first satellite-based delivery system to convey information technologies to universities for the use in distance education programs in Sub Saharan Africa. It is a cost efficient supplier of education for the people of Africa. It delivers instructional material, strengths African distance educational partnerships, establishes networked infrastructure and is currently implementing a digital library for its students. This institution was established and is funded by the World Bank. (Darkwa & Mazibuko, 2000, [URL]).
There will be increased demand for access and places within education instituations in Africa in the future due to population growth, availability of ICTs and the increasing awareness of the need for education and intellectual capacity to increase Africa and its citizens’ ability to participate in today’s global society and economy (Ekhaguere, 2000, p. 379) & (Juma, 2001, p. 298). Political leaders in Africa are becoming increasingly aware of the potential that distance education holds in solving these education challenges that faces their continent and are beginning to act on this (Darkwa & Mazibuko, 2000, [URL]).
Darkwa, O. and Mazibuko, F. (2000) “Creating Virtual Learning Communities in Africa: Challenges and Prospects,�? First Monday, vol.5, no.5, retrieved September 15, 2005, from http://firstmonday.org/issues/issue5_5/darkwa/index.html
Ekhaguere, G. (2000) “African Higher Education and Training: Opportunities and Challenges�?, Higher Education in Europe, vol.25, no.3, retrieved September 16, 2005, from http://gateway.library.qut.edu.au/login?url=http://search.epnet.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=afh&an=4009195
Juma, M. (2001) “From Traditional Distance Learning to Virtual Distance Learning in Higher Education in Africa: Trends and Challenges�?, in T. Della Senta and F. Tschang (ed.) Access to Knowledge: New Information Technologies and the Emergence of the Virtual University, Oxford: Pergamon, pp.289-312.
Kala, N. (1995) “Distance Education in Africa�?, European Journal of Engineering Education, vol.20, no.2, retrieved September 16, 2005, from http://gateway.library.qut.edu.au/login?url=http://search.epnet.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=afh&an=9509271144
Kinyanjui, P. (1996) “Recent Developments in African Distance Education�? in M. Thompson (ed.) Proceedings of Conference on Internationalism in Distance Education, retrieved September 15, 2005, from www1.worldbank.org/disted/Policy/Global/int-03.html
Laura harris 10:17, 20 Sep 2005 (EST)
