The Federal Government of Nigeria has pledged to strengthen open and distance learning (ODL) as a key strategy to improve access to quality education nationwide. The announcement came during the third Open, Distance and eLearning Association of Nigeria (ODeLAN) International Conference held in Abuja, themed “Adaptive Pedagogies for the Future of Education: Connecting Learners, Technologies and Communities.”
Dr. Maruf Alausa, Minister of Education, represented by Dr. Kareem Olawale, highlighted the significant progress made in adopting ODL, especially following disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. “Nigeria faced major challenges during the pandemic that led us to reimagine traditional education models,” Olawale said. “This conference is an opportunity to move from emergency remote teaching to a sustainable and inclusive educational system.”
However, challenges remain. Prof. Francis Egbokhare, President of ODeLAN, criticized the ongoing marginalization of ODL students, particularly their exclusion from government student loans and tuition subsidies. He called for urgent policy reforms to end these discriminatory practices, describing them as “a grave injustice” to learners who chose or were forced into ODL.
Supporting the cause, Prof. Olufemi Peters, Vice-Chancellor of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), reaffirmed his commitment to the egalitarian principles of ODL. He cautioned against treating ODL merely as a revenue source and pledged institutional support for ODeLAN, including backing the establishment of a dedicated secretariat.
International perspectives were also shared. Prof. Peter Scott, President of the Commonwealth of Learning, stressed the need for education systems to be learner-centered and flexible to meet future challenges. He introduced the AMP Actus scheme, an innovative offline learning platform that allows students in remote areas to access digital content without internet connectivity.
