NEEDS ANALYSIS ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A HIGHER EDUCATION OPEN DISTANCE LEARNING KNOWLEDGE BASE FOR DECISION MAKERS IN NIGERIA.

Rashid ADERINOYEUniversity of Ibadan

Introduction. As a follow up to the request of UNESCO-BREDA Dakar, a diagnosis of needs on the establishment of open and distance higher education knowledge base for decision makers was conducted. A thorough execution of this demands for a review of past, current and future practices of open and distance education in Nigeria with a view of identifying in conjunction with decision makers immediate and future needs for effective planning and implementation. Having interacted with policy makers, intellectuals and cross section of stakeholders in education in Nigeria the following constitute practices and priority needs in the implementation of a higher open and distance education in Nigeria.

The thrust of this exercise is rested on the following terms of reference;

a. the target audience of Decision makers,b. representative tasks and challenges of that the target

audience is faced with including recent challenges faced by decision makers in the field in terms of cost-effectiveness, promotion of access, improving quality of teaching and learning process as well as other relevant issues,

c. concrete examples of the most pressing issues, as well as other issues that the target audience will find useful to better respond to ‘b’

d. examples of information products or queries to be answered which would be useful in responding to the above issues such as comparative costs of different technologies, language of instruction, partnerships with private sector, intellectual property concerns, cultural relevance of programmes offered etc.

e. preferences regarding the methodology and interface preferred for this resource by the target audience including suggestions on what sort of material and what media would be most effective for the target group,

f. mechanisms to maintain updated information for this group in Nigeria including specific roles for the Network of

open distance education in Nigeria and the National Teachers Institute.(NTI),

g. training needs of the target audience in the field of decision-making for open and distance education commission with specific attention on higher education,

Arising from a thorough consideration of the above terms of reference, backed by an intensive interaction with stakeholders in e the education with specific focus on open and distance education practitioners the following constitute the out comes of discussions, investigations and survey in Nigeria.

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An overview.Nigeria administratively is of 36 states and the Federal Capital

Authority. Its current total population is about 120 million. Its higher education history is amazing as the country has more than 40 Federal and State Universities apart from 31 Polytechnics and 64 Colleges of education. Nigerians desire for education also dates back to the pre-independence period, when the colonial government in Lagos in 1887 requested that the university of London extend its examination facilities to Nigerian candidates. (Omolewa 1981 )

The Ashby report (Adesina 1977) on higher education submitted in 1960 recommended among others the establishment of the University of Lagos considering the concentration of people and the higher demand for university education included as one of its features in section 5,that, “ Associated with university (but preferably under a Dean or Director with special knowledge of Correspondence education) there should be a Department for Correspondence Courses. This Department should offer to properly qualified and enrolled students, Correspondence courses leading to degree in a limited range of subjects, which can be taught well by correspondence. University institutions with Department for correspondence courses have played a very successful part in helping to solve Russian’s educational problem and they are still an integral part of higher education in the United State. Ashby believed that such institution in Nigeria will be very popular and would encourage large numbers of men and women in employment to improve their education and to fit themselves for more responsible posts.” The essence of this is just to show how deep-rooted distance education is in Nigeria education history. In addition to this, early graduates in Nigeria went through the University of London correspondence matriculation examinations.

Most Nigerians in this period too passed through correspondence courses offered by British institutions, the like of Rapid Result College and Wosley Hall to obtain their general certificate in education, which is a pre- requirement to university admission.

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The second Republic witnessed the establishment of an open university after a prolonged debate in the National Assembly (National Assembly Act of 1982). This was short lived as the succeeding military government suspended the Open University. This was however reincarnated as the centre for distance learning of the University of Abuja. Other open and distance higher education programmes include the Distance Learning Institute (DLI) of the University of Lagos, Centre for External Studies (CES) of the University of Ibadan, University of the Air of Federal Polytechnic, Oko,(Natcom-UNESCO 2000) in addition to the dedicated distance National Teachers’ Institute (NTI) Kaduna (UNESCO 2001) which has been responsible for mass production of teachers since 1976.

Another distance education outfit at the tertiary level of education is the Virtual (Digital) Library project (NUC 2001). This is the widening of access for library users with a view of improving teaching and research in our existing Universities. A major component of this is the creation of Web sites where all academic publications will be accessible to all.

Application of open and distance learning mode is not limited to higher education system as it has also been adopted in reaching the under served . Supporting this assertion was the distance-learning programme for the nomads( UNESCO2001) through the Nomadic Education Commission, and the upgrading and training of primary school teachers using the distance approach facilitated through the National Teachers’ Institute. Mention must also be made of the recently shut Satellite campuses, which were misconstrued as distance education providers.(NCE 2001)

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Rationale for Open-Distance University.

The continued demand for university education, on the job improvement and adoption of the distance –open learning approach by the E-9 Countries cumulated in the in- ability of existing conventional educational institutions to accommodate more, due to lack of facilities and capable hands made it mandatory for the new Democratic government to adopt the alternative route of Distance-Open approach to education provision for the citizenry. Available information on unsatisfied demand for higher education could be viewed from the recent conduct of admission to university by the body with the government mandate, the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB). The year 2001 entrance examination to universities and polytechnics present a very glooming future for university education in Nigeria. The total number of candidates that applied for university admission was more than 480,000 and the available space in the universities is not up to 70,000 that passed the examination when those who applied to polytechnics and colleges of education was more than 198,850 when the space could not allow for the admission of a third of the total applicants. At the professional level, past channel of admission which had become impossible was the offer of admission to workers with government releasing them on either leave with pay or without pay but which ever was approved there was job security. The poor economic situation of the country had since denied workers this opportunity and so they resulted to all un-orthodox means of acquiring higher education. Such un -orthodox and illegal means was the recently closed down Satellites campuses which Nigerians had accepted as distance education. Such campuses were established by conventional institutions exploiting the rush for higher education by workers as well as those denied admission by the JAMB because of inadequacies of the conventional institutions which ranges from lack of space to shortage of personnel and other infrastructure. The situation appears gloomier at the basic level now that the scope of basic has been widened to accommodate basic literacy for adult and out of school youths. The Nigeria illiterate population according to the National Population Commission is put at 62 million. In addition to this information emanating from the Universal Basic Education put the population of children of school age but not in school at 20 million. The implication of all these on the education system vis-à-vis the global objective of providing education for all by the 2015 is for Nigeria to think and adopt a mass approach to education delivery.

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Another ground that made it imperative for open –distance learning is that the National Teachers’ Institute (NTI) established in 1976 had upgraded virtually all unqualified grade two teachers and has since been upgrading them to National Certificate in Education which is the minimum qualification for Nigerian teachers. The desire of these categories of teachers to obtain University degree could easily be achieved by the establishment of a dedicated Open University as the conventional universities lacked the capability. Though there are few of these universities that are offering distance degree programme but their space too is very limited. The Government efforts towards revitalization of open and distance education at all levels of education received a boost in the year 2000, when the Nigerian new democratic government started a gradual and progressive development of both structure and capacity building of staff of relevant institutions. Some of the efforts in this direction received the support of international agencies like UNESCO and The Common Wealth of Learning (COL). Based on this premise, the imperativeness of distance open education could be rested on the following objectives.

To create learning opportunity for millions of illiterate Nigerians,

To provide alternative access for those who could not accommodated in formal secondary education process,

Provide professional development and upgrading opportunities that do not remove learners from the workplace,

To provide a dual mode learning process that will take care of the educational needs of those that are qualified for university education but could not be accommodated for lack of space in the existing tertiary institutions,

To re-integrate those that have recently been disengaged from the illegal opportunity provided by the Satellite Campuses,

Proven track record of the DE in the training and upgrading of teachers through the National Teachers’ Institute experience.

Current status of Open and Distance Education in Nigeria.

Having interacted with policy makers, government officials and other stake holders in distance education in Nigeria, the establishment of a National Commission for Open and Distance Education( FME 2001) which will be saddled with the responsibility of providing education for all remains the priority of the Government.

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Three major approaches have therefore been identified in the framework of the Commission through which Nigerians educational needs will be achieved. These are,

National Open School for basic and secondary, National Open Polytechnic and College and

National Open University.

The execution of these will be facilitated through the Institutional services Unit of the National Commission. The successful establishment and implementation of these largely depends on support from related local and international agencies. Priority activities that will accelerate the effective execution of these could better be classified into two major categories of short and long time. These are institution and capacity building.

Strategic priorities;

Establishment of National Open and Distance Education Commission.

The programme of activities of the Commission shall include the followings:

Provision of educational opportunities for all categories of Nigerians, using the open and distance strategies.

Establishment of relevant institutions network, Recruitment and training of essential manpower needs. Development and production of desired instructional

materials, Acquisition of both soft and hard ware necessary for the take

off, of both the administrative and Academic units of the Commission.

Establishment of essential mechanisms for quality assurance, monitoring and evaluation as well as students support services.

The Commission shall have the following as its structure. Governing Council An Executive Director/Executive Secretary Five Directorates of;

1. Administration and Human resources2. Finance3. Knowledge Network4. Institutional services5. Community services.

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The Institutional services shall have the following as its main institutions of reaching the people. These are

National Open University National Open Polytechnic and College National Open school.

The Community services shall also have the following as its channels Skills and study centers Career credential credit Workplace Training.

The knowledge Network shall function through three units, Instructional and Curriculum services Student support services Media and Information Technologies.

The Directorate of Finance will focus on matters relating to Resource mobilization and utilization Auditing.

The Directorate of Administration and Hunan Resource is charged with

Central Administration Human resource (recruitment and training).

Based on discussions with Policy makers, Administrators and Intellectuals, the following remain the priorities of the Government and on which policy is being formulated.

The establishment of an open and distance education Commission,

Setting up of National infrastructure, Acquisition of essential equipment, Institutional capacity building, for academic and

Administrative set up, Individual capacity building, Opening of the National Open University by the year 2002.

Challenges before policy makers;These include, policy development, planning and management, sensitization of the entire populace, recruitment and training of staff, course material design and development, production of self instructional materials, recruitment of specialists in the areas like subject, media, script writers, camera and studio crews, computer and graphic personnel, identification of relevant media of distance education, and establishment of

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students’ support services. Also constituting major challenges are establishment of appropriate mechanisms for courses accreditation, quality assurance, monitoring and evaluation.

Immediate Priorities.

In line with the above, the following activities are considered as priority needs that deserve attention and support

Orientation workshop for Nigerians on the philosophy and goals of the Commission.

Preparation, presentation and passage of enabling Act of the National Assembly on the Commission.

Renovation and partitioning of a twelve story building in Lagos to serve as the secretarial and Academic Offices of the National Commission.

. Furnishing the same building to the minimal requirement of a National Commission.

. Equipping the building with necessary office equipment.

Strengthening and ensuring effective collaboration with the Network of open and distance education in Nigeria. (NODEN)as well as authority of the National Teachers’ Institute. (NTI).

. Recruitment and training of both academic and

administrative staff of the Commission on general role and functions to be performed by the commission.

Strengthening the knowledge network of members of members of the Commission and core Academic Staff on the functions of similar Commissions such as Canadian open learning Agency, India National Open education commission .International Extension College in the United Kingdom and the Open University UK.

Capacity building for pioneer staff of the Commission in the management of open and distance education.

Identification of target learning group and courses. Preparation of policy guide lines between the National

Universities Commission and the Open and distance Education Commission.

Capacity building for all, Deans, Heads and Academic Coordinators of the following proposed courses of the university; Arts, Social Sciences, Business and Administration, Education, Science and Technology on the followings; management, course design,

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instructional material development, audio, and narrow casting development and production, video and CD-ROM production and evaluation.

Training of subject specialists in all courses to be offered by the University.

. Production and printing of the initial self-instructional course materials.

. Purchase of three hours weekly Airtime on the

network of Radio Nigeria to broadcast enrichment lessons for learners.

Purchase of three hours weekly airtime on NTA to telecast enrichment lessons to learners.

Development of a mini.- Library at the National secretariat of the Commission.

Establishment of Study centre in each of the Six Geo-political Zones and the FCT.

Establishment of study centre in each State capital and Abuja. Establishment of study centre in each of the 774 Local

government Headquarters.

WORK PLAN 2001-2002

ACTIVITIES;A.INSTITUTIONAL BUILDING.1. National orientation on the philosophy and goals of open and distance education.

Background. The Second Coming of distance education should not meet Nigerians unexpectedly if our past experience is something to go by. Our first effort was almost a failure because of the misgivings that surrounded its establishment particularly from political opponents. To guide against its re-occurrence Nigerians must be adequately informed about the wisdom behind its establishment.Objectives.

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To educate Nigerians on its goals and relevance.To clearly state with facts and figures the desirability of DE.To convince Nigerians that the only way to provide education for all is through the adoption of open and distance educationTo assure them of Government preparedness for the effective take off of the programme. Target audience.The entire population.Activities.National workshop through mass mobilization using radio, television, handbills and village square rallies. Expected outcomes.Nigerians appreciate the goals and relevance of DE.They accept it as a good alternative to provide education for all.They rally round Government in the execution of the programme.Budget=Period- Dec 2001- March 2002.

2.Policy Formulation

Preparation, presentation and passage of enabling National Assembly Act on the National Commission.

Background. The first effort at establishing Open University suffered a set-back because of a prolonged delay orchestrated by lack of proper understanding of goals , purpose and relevance of open university to the Nigerian educational system by the then members of the National Assembly. Thus in anticipation of a smooth passage of the Bill, a national workshop for the entire members of National Assembly is imperative. This will be followed by a Public debate of the Bill under the auspices of the National committee on education, before its final consideration by the Assembly.Objectives.

Sensitize all members of the National Assembly on the goals of Open Education.Promote better understanding of its relevance to wider access.Prepare the National Assembly Members to positive debate of the Bill and Facilitate early passage of the Bill.Target group. National Assembly members and Policy makers.Activities.

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Presentation of the draft Bill to the National Assembly, 2 day Training workshop, public debate of the draft Bill, consideration of the Bill, passage of the Bill and Signing of the Bill by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Expected Outcomes.Better understanding of concepts, goals and relevance of the National Commission of Open and Distance education by members of the National Assembly and other key players in education.Hitch free debate of the Bill at the National Assembly andQuick passage of the Bill for Presidential Assent.Budget.Duration.March to June 2002

3. Institutional Building.

Renovation of the 12 storey building of the Commission.

Background. For every Commission, there is a conducive and enabling environment for its take off. Some of the newly established Commission of the kind of this included, Anti-corruption, Human Rights, and National Population Commissions and they are all provided with deserving accommodation. Thus a Commission of this magnitude has been accorded recognition and accommodated in the 12-storey building formerly allocated to the Federal Ministry of Education in Lagos. But because of its long abandonment, there is need for its rehabilitation and partitioning to accommodate all essential staff and initial learning centers.Objectives.To be conducive for use,To conveniently accommodate foundation staff,To compare favourably with standard obtains in other parts of the World.

Target.The National Headquarters of the National Commission.

Activity.Rehabilitation, painting, and partitioning.

Expected Outcomes. National Secretariat secured.

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Rehabilitated to habitable level.Problem of accommodation overcome.Budget.Duration.December2001-March 2002

4.Acquisition of office equipments;

Background.One major obstacle to effective take off of past Commissions is the lack of initial office equipments that suppose to assist the staff in discharging their functions effectively. Such equipments ranges from Furniture, to Computer, IBM typewriters, Photocopier, Air cooler, and particularly for a distance education Commission, recording equipment. Objectives.To acquire office equipment,To set the staff on a good starting point,To provide enabling work environment and To provide foundation students with the essentials of open-distance learning.Target.Office equipments.Activity.Purchase and installation of acquired equipment.Expected Outcomes.Initial equipments provided and installed,Standard office put in place,Essentials of distance –open education acquired.Budget.Duration.December 2001 –June 2002. 5.

Identification and acquisition of instructional Media.

Background.The symbolic, access and control characteristics of the Media in the execution of open and distance education programme endeared it as priority needs in the distance education process. In addition to this are its functions of helping learners to reduce time required for mastery, pacing learning at their convenience, promotion of

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discussion, making of inaccessible accessible and establishment of academic credibility. These and other points made it mandatory for providers of open and distance education to identify and acquire relevant media at the inception of the programme as experience had shown that such media are always to put in place after a long period of practice. To achieve greater effectiveness, print and non-print media should be integrated as early as the programme takes off.Objectives.To identify and acquire relevant mediaIntegrate the media as early as the programme comes on boardAllow for quick application of the mediaTo allow for mass access and mass participationProvide the initial seven geo-political study centers with student support services,Lay a solid base for the study centers,Target.Hard and soft ware Media equipments, including radio, television, audiotapes and cassettes, videotapes and computers.Activity.Purchase of airtime on radio and television networks. Acquisition of Audio and Videocassettes, and computer as well as CD-ROMS.Expected out comes.Initial needed media equipments acquired, installed and applied. Air time bought on radio and television.Budget.Duration.2001-2002.6.Strengthening and ensuring effective collaboration within the network of open and distance education in Nigeria.Background.The contribution of professional bodies and other relevant stakeholders in open and distance education is always of immense benefits to effective planning, economic efficiency, quality assurance and cohesive and effective monitoring and evaluation.Objectives.To bring together all stakeholders.Allow for effective partnership with government.Improve the capacity of Non-governmental group in open and distance education.Encourage effective participation in global network of open distance education forum.Target.

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Members of NODEN, NTI, and similar bodies in Africa and elsewhere.Activity. Participation in Training Workshops, Seminars and international conferences.Budget.Period.From time to time.

B.CAPACITY BUILDING.

1.Capacity Building for the Members of the National Commission on the functions, relevance and goals of the Commission.

Background.

The discipline of open –distance education is relatively new as it has not been a full-grown discipline in the country. The first effort towards this was prematurely terminated, thus there is need for the members of the Commission to under go series of orientation programmes to enable them know and be aware of their enormous responsibilities. These would be in two folds. First initial introduction workshop by local experts. Secondly tours of established foreign institutions like those in India, Canada and United Kingdom.Objectives.To empower the members with appropriate knowledge of their functions,Provide them with specific knowledge of the discipline,Expose them to practices in the field through direct observation and examples by doing in advanced relevant institutions abroad.Targets.Members of the Commission and newly recruited local experts.Activity.One week training workshop.Followed by a tour of relevant institutions abroad where they will be exposed to both theory and practice of open and distance education institutions.Duration.From time to time 2001-2002.(The first one month of recruitment and a year after recruitment.) Expected outcomes.

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Better understanding of the discipline,Learn from advanced practices.Empowered with managerial and implementation abilitiesBudget.2. Training of recruited staff on course design, development, editing, media integration and instructional material preparation.Background. The distinctive nature of distance education as against the conventional learning process calls for special orientation for would be distance educators. This is more, so that a lot of local experts acquired the skills long after their initial specialization. The dearth of distance education specialists in the country again requires that services of foreign experts along with the experts at home will have to be explored in the process of equipping newly recruited staff in the knowledge of course designing, developing and preparation of instructional materials in line with the internationally approved standard.Objectives. provide initial orientation for pioneer academic staff of the open university. update their knowledge of distance education. guide them in the designing, developing, editing, integrating appropriate media and preparing instructional materials for distance learners, provide them with general characteristics of distance learners, and assist them in preparing attractive and portable reading materials for open and distance learners.Target Audience.All relevant recruited staff of the Commission.Activity.Two-week operational workshop.Expected outcomes. Pioneer staff exposed to concepts of open and distance educationFamiliar with characteristics of distance learners.Master how courses are designed, developed, edited and prepared.Prepared attractive and portable materials with effective feed back mechanisms.Budget.Duration. 1st 3 weeks of February 2002.

Annexure 1. Action points.Action point Activities By whoPolicy formulation Drafting of bill Policy makers,

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Presentation of bill to the National AssemblyPublic debate of the billConsideration of the bill Passage of the billPresidential assent.

Executive Director of the Commission,All stakeholders,National Assembly members and the President of the federal Republic of Nigeria.

Just as an example.

REFERENCES.Adesina,Segun (1977) Planning and educational development in Nigeria. Lagos, Educational industries Nigeria LTD.Omolewa, Micheal (1981) Historical antecedent of correspondence education in Nigeria. Ibadan, West Africa Journal of Education. Federal Ministry of Education (2001) Report on the E-9 Ministerial Review Meeting held in Beijing, China. 21st to 23rd August 2002.National Commission for UNESCO.(2000) Directory of Distance education institutions in Africa. Abuja, NATCOM-UNESCO.National Universities Commission. (2001) The Virtual (DIGITAL) University Project. Abuja, NUC. UNESCO.(2001) E-9 Ministerial Review Meeting. Beijing, China.UNESCO.(2001) education in the E-9 Countries, The Development and future of distance education programmes in the Nine High-Population Countries. Paris, UNESCO.UNESCO.(2001) Teacher Education Through Distance Learning. Paris UNESCO.

Notes and acknowledgements.

Other sources of information included; Media Presidential charts.Ministerial Briefing.Interview with the Coordinator of the proposed National Commission for Open and Distance education. (Professor Gbenro Jegede).Meeting with other stake holders in open and distance education.

I have to thanks most especially Chief S.K Babalola, Adviser to the President on Education and Professor Gbenro Jegede for devoting time to this assignment in spite of their very busy schedules. Also worthy of thanks are Professors Okebukola, Duraye, Drs Adegunodo, and Clement Nwamadi. Dr Mrs Iyabo Fagbulu for providing enabling environment.

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Considering the limit imposed by the specified number of pages (10) ,I have to compress the needs to be elaborated when the need arises.Thanks.

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