Outline:
Addressing the Gap in Distance and Full-Time Learning
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof. Folasade Ogunsola, has highlighted significant progress in bridging the gap between full-time and Distance Learning Institute (DLI) students. This development was discussed during an interview with The PUNCH at the fourth international colloquium of the UNILAG Distance Learning Institute.
Ogunsola emphasized that the university has harmonized admission screening and academic standards for both DLI and full-time students. This initiative aims to ensure equal quality and recognition across all graduates. She explained that graduates from both programs now receive identical certificates, which is a deliberate effort to eliminate the stigma often associated with distance learning graduates in the job market.
She noted, “The stigma attached to DLI graduates is more perception than fact. What we’ve done is to tighten quality assurance. We have continuously improved the quality of work here, ensuring that distance learning students go through the same rigorous screening as full-time students. Admission into the institute is no longer open to just anyone.”
Ogunsola also pointed out that the university maintains a minimum standard to meet labor market demands and is enhancing the training methods for its students. Importantly, the certificates issued do not include the term “Distance Learning,” making them indistinguishable from those of other UNILAG graduates.
Expanding Distance Learning Enrollment
Currently, the ratio of DLI to full-time students at the university is 1:3. However, the institution plans to increase the number of DLI students from 12,000 to 50,000 in the coming years. This expansion reflects the growing demand for education in Nigeria, driven by its large population.
Despite these ambitions, Ogunsola identified technology and internet access as major barriers, particularly for learners in rural communities. She stated, “Reaching rural areas is our biggest challenge, and it goes beyond what the university alone can do. Last-mile internet access is still a government responsibility, but we continue to engage with them.”
She added, “We need to grow the numbers because Nigeria’s population demands it. Scaling up to 50,000 students requires better technology and more engaging online environments.”
Making Distance Learning Inclusive
The DLI Director, Prof. Risikat Dauda, emphasized the importance of making distance learning inclusive and accessible to all Nigerians, including those in underserved areas. She said, “Open and Flexible Distance Learning should not be for only the wealthy or the well-connected with laptops and fast internet. It should cater to rural dwellers, those without electricity, and those with only radios or basic phones.”
Dauda stressed that inclusion means considering whether the poorest child in Zamfara can benefit as much as a banker’s daughter in Ikoyi. She argued that technology is already a present reality in education, not just a future prospect. However, pedagogy must adapt to Nigerian realities, such as limited bandwidth, multilingualism, and unstable electricity.
She called for a shift from merely uploading classroom lectures online to personalized and adaptive learning. For example, an AI tutor could help a student in the North struggling with mathematics by breaking down concepts into Hausa analogies, while providing advanced material to a Lagos student who is ahead.
Keynote Speakers Highlight Future Directions
Keynote speaker Dr. Niclole Lotz of the Open University, UK, called for inclusive curriculum design with students’ voices embedded. She said, “The future of distance learning is social learning at a distance. Some universities have already moved from blended to fully online learning. Curriculum development must be collaborative, with student feedback built in.”
Another keynote speaker, Prof. Chukunoye Ochonogor of Tshwane University of Technology, South Africa, stressed the importance of digital literacy and culturally responsive teaching. He said, “We must embed education for sustainable development into the curriculum, and encourage lifelong learning to build resilient communities.”
Conclusion
The colloquium, themed “Future-Proofing Open, Flexible and Distance Learning: Balancing Innovation, Inclusion and Sustainability,” featured contributions from several experts. These discussions underscored the need for a balanced approach that integrates innovation, inclusivity, and sustainability in the evolving landscape of distance learning.