Capacity building for open and distance learning (ODL) course enhancement with open educational resources (OER) is a vital component of effective ODL implementation. The Commonwealth of Learning (COL) recently trained staff at Sierra Leone’s Ernest Bai Koroma University of Science and Technology (EBKUST) on ODL course enhancement. This followed  the development of an institutional ODL policy  which COL also supported.

Emphasising the importance of the three-day workshop held in November 2023 at EBKUST, Professor Alhaji Briama Gogra, Deputy Vice-Chancellor expressed appreciation to COL for the support, stating that the workshop will help leverage EBKUST’s potential toward the development and delivery of high-quality ODL courses for improved learning outcome.

Participants were engaged through hands-on activities to enhance at least five courses with OER. Presentations focused on fundamentals in programmes, courses and materials development for ODL, as well as guidelines on course content design and development for OER.

Professor Jane-Frances Agbu, COL Adviser, Higher Education, indicated that COL’s ongoing support for ODL implementation in five higher education institutions in Sierra Leone has shown strong commitment from stakeholders both at the national and institutional levels.