Open and dıstance learnıng governance in public higher learning institutions in Zambia: successes and challenges

Abstract

The growth and need for equity in the provision of tertiary education particularly in teacher training universities has risen in the past five years in Zambia. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to discuss the successes and challenges of Open and Distance Learning (ODL) governance in public higher learning institutions in Zambia. Being a qualitative study, descriptive approach was used as a design. Semi-structured questionnaires were distributed to seventy (70) ODL students, five (5) senior managers and twenty (20) academic staff using purposive sampling procedure. Interviews were held to ten (10) selected staff and twenty (20) students. In this sense, the sample size was 130 participants. The key findings among others revealed that despite the existence of ODL programmes in public higher learning institutions in Zambia, there has not been a deliberate policy instituted to strengthen governance structures and management systems that support open distance learning provision. Other challenges include failure to effectively integrate the use of information and communication technology in the management and delivery of ODL programmes, lack of adequate infrastructure and inability to strengthen the monitoring and evaluation systems for effective programme design and delivery. The study also indicates lack of trained personnel to manage ODL, inability to design instructional strategies and appropriate curriculum design responsive to the needs of learners. From the findings, this study recommends to the university to introducing remote centres, virtual and flipped classrooms, blended learning and 100% on-line learning.