It has become evident that the regular educational system is not capable of eradicating mass illiteracy on the continent of Africa and other developing nations. Therefore, the major vehicle to achieve mass literacy in line with the United Nations focus is affordable, quality, open and distance education for all. This 21st century initiative calls for continuous and constant examination of reforms and quality assurance/control to attain appreciable level, bearing in mind attendant challenges and peculiarities of African countries.
Against this background, the Distance Learning Centre of the University of Ibadan hereby announces the International Conference on Open Distance Learning to enable researchers, practitioners and other stakeholders from all over Africa and the world at large to come together to share their experiences and exchange ideas for taking education to greater heights. The conference is also aimed at capacity building of individuals involved with Open Distance Education in Africa.
OBJECTIVES
The conference will provide a variety of opportunities for interactions between researchers, administrators and policy makers concerned with the development and promotion of open distance learning. Furthermore, it will provide a platform for deliberations on implementable feasible modalities for moving African education forward through open distance learning.
Specifically, the conference will:
- evaluate the various reform initiatives in distance education vis a vis sustainable development on the African continent and globally;
- compare notes on how to ensure quality provision of education on sustainable development in the African economies;
- critique strategies adopted/adapted by African Distance Learning Institutions;
- recommend possible programme implementation strategies for accomplishing quality open distance learning; and
- foster closer relationships among researchers, policymakers, and the mass media in promoting wider understanding of successful policy initiatives in distance education for emancipation of the African economies.
