See also: "African distance learning: reaching parts other education systems cannot reach?", published by "id21" (Education section), 29 November, 2002.
"id21"(Information for Development in the 21st Century) is a "fast-track research reporting service" funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID) and managed by The Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex, UK.
Foreword
This research report will be useful to people involved or interested in the planning, development and implementation of non-formal education programmes because of the useful lessons it offers. The case studies in this report demonstrate the potential and importance of distance learning approaches in enhancing the contribution of non-formal education to socio-economic development in Africa.
For example, the Zambia Radio Farm Forum programme enables the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries to reach larger numbers of peasant farmers than is possible through other extension services. The Radio Farm Forum programme helps over 21,000 small-scale farmers/peasants in rural areas, who listen and participate in the programme, to learn new knowledge and develop new skills. In the Ghanaian case study, the use of radio strengthened the coverage, by the literacy programme, of the functional and developmental themes.
Another important lesson is that distance learning approaches can be effective in changing people's attitudes/behaviour and in motivating rural communities to undertake action leading to the improvement of their socio-economic conditions. The Zambian and Ghanaian case studies again provide good examples.
In Zambia, there was evidence of changes resulting from the Radio Farm Forum programmes, which included changes in attitudes to slash and burn shifting cultivation and to certain crops which were previously seen as women's crops. In Ghana, radio changed, among many things, people's attitudes towards family planning and contributed to the establishment of income-generating ventures.
Richard Siaciwena
Table of Contents
(Title and copyright pages)
About the authors
Foreword
Preface
Acknowledgements
Download this section (Acrobat/PDF document, 8 pages, 83 Kb. download)
Chapter 1, Introduction
Richard Siaciwena
Download this section (Acrobat/PDF document, 12 pages, 94 Kb. download)
Chapter 2, Ghana: The use of radio in the National Literacy and Functional Skills Project in the Volta and Northern Regions
Kofi Siabi-Mensah
Download this section (Acrobat/PDF document, 24 pages, 125 Kb. download)
Chapter 3, Kenya: The African Medical Research Foundation
Anna P. Mwangi
Download this section (Acrobat/PDF document, 23 pages, 122 Kb. download)
Chapter 4, Tanzania: INADES-Formation, Tanzania
Amon Z. Mattee
Download this section (Acrobat/PDF document, 24 pages, 128 Kb. download)
Chapter 5, Uganda: The Ministry of Health Distance Education Programme
Juliana Bbuye
Download this section (Acrobat/PDF document, 22 pages, 140 Kb. download)
Chapter 6, Zambia: Radio Farm Forums
David Sibalwa
Download this section (Acrobat/PDF document, 19 pages, 92 Kb. download)
Chapter 7, Conclusion
Richard Siaciwena
Download this section (Acrobat/PDF document, 16 pages, 85 Kb. download)
About the Authors
Mrs Juliana Bbuye is Head of the Department of Distance Education at Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda. Her research work includes the 'Needs assessment for functional literacy' sponsored by UNESCO, and the 'Impact of NGOs on poverty alleviation in Uganda' sponsored by the World Bank. She has also carried out various formative evaluations of the External Degree Programme.
Professor Amon Z. Mattee lectures in the Department of Agricultural Education and Extension at Sokoine University of Agriculture in Tanzania. He previously served as Head of the same department, as well as Assistant Dean in the Faculty of Agriculture from 1991 to 1997.
Mr Kofi Siabi-Mensah is a Senior Resident Tutor of the Institute of Adult Education, University of Ghana, Legon. He is also the Head of the University's External Degree Centre in Accra, the capital city.
Mrs Anna P. Mwangi lectures in the Department of Literature and Linguistics, Faculty of Social Sciences, College of Education and External Studies, University of Nairobi, where she is also a Warden of Students. She is Chairperson of the Editorial Board of the Kenya Adult Education Association, and has written and edited various adult education and distance learning materials.
Professor Richard Siaciwena is the Director of the Directorate of Distance Education at the University of Zambia, and Chairperson of the Zambia Association for Distance Education (ZADE).
Dr David M. Sibalwa is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Adult Education and Extension Studies, School of Education, University of Zambia. He previously served as Head of the same department.
