By Monica Tambala
LILONGWE-(MANA)-Minister of Education, Madalitso Kambauwa Wirima has called on Malawians to embrace Open Distance and e-Learning (ODeL) as an alternative mode of learning citing its innovativeness, creativity and ability to allow access to quality education for every Malawian regardless of their geographic location and socio-economic background.
Speaking in Lilongwe on Thursday, June 1, 2023 at a National ODeL Symposium held under the theme “An Innovative Technological and Knowledge-based ODeL Ecosystem, Key to Human Capital Development,” the Minister expressed worry of the old education system which she said does not seem to be accessible and inclusive enough hence the need to embrace ODeL teaching and learning.
“Have you dreamt of an education system which would allow learning to continue, where teachers and students would seamlessly switch from classroom to the virtual, online, offline, on mobile, on TV and on air?
“Or adequate print material and continued access to quality learning? That is the kind of an education system that I, as Minister of Education, dream of which can only become a reality through a well-developed blended education system that embraces ODeL,” she said.
The Minister added that having a robust ODeL ecosystem implies effective learning during unavoidable school closures, inclusive learning for students unable to leave homes and attend classes for various reasons, as well as easy access and convenience for people wishing to upgrade.
Secretary for Education, Chikondano Mussa said although the education sector has registered some good progress, it is still grappling with challenges related to access and equity, quality and relevance as well as governance and management at all levels of education.
She further highlighted the lack of adequate school infrastructure as one element hindering progress which she said can be addressed by blending learning approaches to significantly increase access to education so as to build the needed human capital drive of the Malawi 2063 goals.
“With these challenges we are mandated to find alternative means of schooling, we cannot wait for a time in the unforeseeable future, when we will have constructed adequate physical infrastructure to absorb all eligible students in our education system, it will take ages. That is why today, we are promoting ODeL which has played a significant role since 1965,” she said.
Domasi College of Education adopted distance education as a mode of teacher training between 2000 – 2006. A total of 1,200 teachers were trained through distance education compared to 662 teachers trained through the conventional face to face mode.
United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Acting Deputy Mission Director, Christine Veverka described ODeL as a practical solution to Malawi’s issue of inaccessibility to education hence partnering with Malawi to promote ODeL.
“ODeL is an amazing technological innovation. It is not only forward leaning, current, but also an incredibly practical technological solution to the very real infrastructure limitations that exist in the country,” she said.