There are too few teachers and schools to meet the need for quality universal basic education. Therefore, alternative approaches to education provision need to be explored, such as open and distance learning methods and development and provision of curriculum-based Open Educational Resources (OER). However, distribution of printed materials is…

This publication on out-of-school children (OOSC) in Commonwealth Africa is already informing priorities in COL's work in open schooling. The report provides an overview of key indicators for all nineteen Commonwealth Africa countries as well as contextual case studies of eight countries for which representatives were available to verify or update…

Although education policies in many African countries refer to the need for distance education to widen participation in universities, they have not articulated guidelines on how they plan to develop systems and structures that will support it. The purpose of this study was to develop a policy framework specific for distance education provision in…

This paper demystifies the process of open and distance learning (ODL) policy development in a dual-mode university after existing without one for 50 years. The two-pronged critical questions this paper addresses are: What does it take to successfully develop an ODL policy? And what aspects constitute an ODL policy applicable for a dual-mode…

As the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) was in the last year of its 2015-2021 strategic plan, COL sought to evaluate the impact of its interventions in open and innovative schooling (OIS) in the period 2018-2021 through an external review. An online quantitative study was carried out in Belize, Malawi, Mozambique, Trinidad and Tobago, and Zambia,…

Many African countries have developed policies to reform their education system in order to widen participation in higher education. To achieve this, open, online and distance education based models have been advocated as the most viable delivery tools in expanding access to higher education. However, the policy analysis of Kenya, Rwanda and…

This paper presents the successes and challenges faced in implementing the dual-mode strategy in higher education in the context of feminist theory. Worldwide, women's universities have been established by governments and private organisations to involve women more fully in the country's economic, political and social activities. The establishment…

Supporting and upskilling teachers are essential to enhancing the quality of learning in developing contexts -- the focus of Education For All -- yet little evidence exists concerning what kinds of teacher education are actually most effective and what changes in "quality" are desired and feasible. This paper illustrates how a concrete,…

The Learning for Livelihoods Sector of the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) addresses the major challenges related to learning and skills development that are key for living and for improvement of livelihoods. Developing conceptual frameworks, influencing policy, enabling technology-mediated learning, and strengthening networks and partnerships are…

This book includes a range of community peacebuilding experiences from across the Commonwealth that have been applying open and distance learning (ODL) approaches. The case studies offer insights into the challenges as well as the kinds of interventions that have worked and how they can be built upon. They show that ODL can be an effective and…

As a member of the United Nations, Zambia is committed to the observance of human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948. This is evidenced, among others, by the fact that Zambia is a signatory to the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child. Zambia has a…

This study was carried out at the request of the Ministry of Education, Zambia. The Commonwealth of Learning contracted Turning Points Consultancy CC, a Namibian company, who provided the services of the author, to "carry out an evaluation of the Zambia College of Distance Education (ZACODE) and submit recommendations to the Ministry of…

This document contains seven papers from a study of the role of distance learning approaches in enhancing the contribution of nonformal education to socioeconomic development in Africa. "Introduction" (Richard Siaciwena) presents an overview of the research project and defines key terms related to nonformal education. "Ghana: The…