Distance Education for Africa
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There are two universities in the US (Sweden) and Ethiopian Universities, tion programs for human resource which runs Skylight (Drake and St facilitated by IICBA. The essential con- development. The Ministry of Mary's). Skylight is scheduled to start cept behind UMEA is the creation of a Education has launched an ambitious up in Ethiopia by February, 2004. new formulation in the educator's devel- program to update the skills 17,000 In cooperation with the Indira opment, whereby their perspective of teachers to diploma level. The postgrad- Gandhi National Open University their own practical work and its devel- uate level training through distance (IGNOU) of India, study programmes opment is enhanced. UMEA's education about distance education initiated by leading to a Post Graduate Diploma in is not exclusively through distance as it IICBA is a commendable venture. This Distance Education (PGDDE) and combines online assignments with face- is a step forward in creating trained Master of Arts in Distance Education to-face tutoring. manpower in the field of distance edu- (MADE) are underway in Ethiopia Insufficient resources and cation. The Ministry's program, which among other countries and have in shrinking government budget alloca- began in 1999, includes participants Ethiopia been a success story. IICBA tions strain institutions of higher educa- from Ethiopia and Liberia who have plans to immediately expand the tion in Africa. These institutions are not received training on various aspects of PGDDE and MADE programs to other able to keep pace with demand for the distance education. The Ethiopian Civil Anglophone West African countries and Continent's need for specialized human Service College has also started distance start a Ph. D. program with IGNOU. capital. Distance education is one of the education program, which combines Though established quite means of surmounting this crisis. Thus, printed material with innovative tech- recently (1985), IGNOU has evolved the application of distance education as nology (that enables to receive and send into one of the few Mega Universities a mode of delivery for expanding oppor- image as well as voice and data). The fully dedicated to DE. With in-built tunity for education and retraining has technology installed in the college has quality assurance mechanisms, IGNOU become a necessity. In this case, the Internet connection, which enables pro- is not only a nationally accredited insti- prospect for distance education is essen- fessionals in the country to share experi- tution in India, but also an international- tially untapped. By introducing IICBA's ences and learn new things from profes- ly recognized center of excellence in Distance Education programs, this sionals around the world. DE. In light of its meritorious achieve- newsletter intends to portray DE in Conducting teacher education ments in DE, the Indian government has Africa as both an opportunity and a through distance education is something entrusted IGNOU with a responsibility response to a crisis in education, and not that has been done for a long time in the of promoting and coordinating open and merely a second-rate option for higher USA. One reason could be that the distance learning systems in the whole learning. American teachers have to do a test each country as well as determining stan- Finally this newsletter features fifth year in order to confirm their profi- dards. a special tribute to Dr. Fay King Chung. ciency. This has led to a long tradition in What is happening in Ethiopia’s Acting Director, Dr. Joseph Ngu's distance education in the US. One com- classrooms? How can classroom activi- speech for Dr. Chung's retirement party pany dealing with distance education is ties be improved? Questions such as is reprinted for our readers’ benefit in its Skylight, which is a US based company these are dealt with through a cooperation entirety. M.Ed in the Teaching of Math and Science via Distance mode A Collaborative program between UNESCO-IICBA and Addis Ababa University (AAU) Development economists have and secondary levels throughout Africa. long recognized the importance of hav- The central approach of this program is The IICBA Newsletter is published quarterly in English and French. ing a country's populace be proficient in to supplement the existing undergra- Articles may be reproduced with math and science fundamentals. The duate program which consists of both attribution. We welcome editorial majority of Africa's population has not theoretically based and practical classes. comments or inquiries about IICBA had the privilege of receiving quality please address all correspondance instruction. Ethiopia is no exception to IICBA is currently concentrat- to ing its efforts in Ethiopia. In order to this problem. Teaching within these The Editor subjects has been hampered by lack of address this need IICBA sought partner- IICBA Newsletter in-class resources and constrained ship with experienced professionals