It is a pleasure to serve again as the Editor for the current issue of the West African Journal of Open and Flexible Learning. I continue to be impressed with the quality of articles WAJOFEL attracts and I commend the scholars whose efforts are found in the pages herein. Without the unwavering support and outreach of the Regional Training and Research Institute for Distance and Open Learning, WAJOFEL, its journal, would not sustain itself, let alone churn out issues with regularity. Over the past 18 months, RETRIDOL will have published six issues of WAJOFEL, and a total of 45 articles, an impressive feat considering the journal runs with no full-time staff.
Recently, the Journal’s advisory board convened, and it was decided to start publishing WAJOFEL online as an open access journal, with sponsorship provided by the Commonwealth of Learning. Once launched, the online version will undoubtedly increase the readership of WAJOFEL exponentially and expand submissions from the region – covering a population of 350 million, according to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) – if not to a more global network. The trend toward open access is unimpeded and can now be considered mainstream. The heavyweights in the journal publishing sphere have periodic issues that are open access, and many allow an article to be open access with payment of a fee by the author or his / her institution. The notion of paying for open access is still egregious in this day and age when taxpayer dollars fund public universities where the bulk of such intellectual work occurs. Nevertheless, proponents of open access can see that tides are turning. The Directory of Open Access Journals (doaj.org) houses nearly 14,000 titles and over 4 million articles. One of the flagship journals in the open and distance learning space located in this directory is the International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning (IRRODL). Earlier this year it had to post on its site that it was no longer accepting submissions for 2019 due to a lengthy backlog reflecting the immense popularity of the journal. IRRODL is also listed under the Social Science Citation Index, and it thereby illuminates that open access does not compromise quality. Let us rally around WAJOFEL for it to join IRRODL on the international scene and commit to having it join the Directory of Open Access Journals in the near future!
In the current issue, articles have been grouped along two main themes: the role of ODL in strengthening the national fabric of Nigerian society, and a collection of case studies that individually support this mandate. Throughout this issue, readers will find novel research occurring in the ODL space across the country. Studies on the use of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) and creating a national research network are complementary studies that seek to deepen the impact of higher education in Nigeria, and by association the West Africa sub-Region. Case studies on the use of ICT to support fish farming, or the impact of ODL in the Nigerian prison system are two unique studies that show the widespread application of ODL to those from all walks of life.
The above articles are complemented with a look at ODL as a mechanism for peacebuilding, meeting the Sustainable Development Goals, and furthering efforts to expand access. In a country where thousands are denied entry into the conventional system each year, the collection of articles in this volume provide an optimistic outlook for the tertiary system in Nigeria. Readers from outside the country will find interesting ideas, evidence and solutions to address their own country context, relative to leveraging ODL as a social good, in achieving equity of access and as integral to nation building. Readers will also find studies that provide road maps for further research. Expanding, or replicating some of the studies found herein will strengthen the body of research the authors are pursuing, and seek to build stronger research networks adding legitimacy to the ODL space, and strengthening researchers in this vibrant and global community.
In this regard, I encourage you to contact the authors with whose work resonates with your own, and seek collaborative opportunities to discuss, debate and advance knowledge in the ODL space toward the betterment of education in the region, and the wider international community.
What role do higher education institutions play in peacebuilding? In the article titled, “An Assessment of the Impact of Open and Distance Learning in Tertiary Institutions on Peacebuilding in Nigeria”,Basil O. Ibebunjo & Iroye Samuel Opeyemi explore the role of curriculum in inculcating the ideas of peacebuilding advocated through open and distance learning. Given the national remit of the National Open University of Nigeria which enrols over half a million learners, the authors sought to better understand the role of NOUN in educating for peacebuilding efforts in the country. Using primary and secondary sources, the authors collected data from 300 students and staff at NOUN. Their findings revealed, overwhelmingly, that NOUN has been instrumental in advancing understanding of peace building in the country. The authors advocate for wider policies among tertiary institutions in the country to embrace a curriculum of peace education, and argue that the ODL system is a viable means to achieve these ends.
Bappah, Adamu in the article titled, “Admission Practices of National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN): A Solution to the Challenges of Education Access in Nigeria” explores Open Universities as reputable for reaching the unreached through varying applications of open education approaches. Around the world, millions of individuals have benefited from flexible admission policies, distance learning, flexible scheduling, etc., characteristic of Open Universities. Working adults, homemakers, school leavers, and myriad other groups facing barriers to admission in the conventional system enrol in these institutions. The current paper offers a case study on the strides made by the National Open University of Nigeria to fulfill its own mandate to reach the unreached. The study was comprised of interviews and document analysis of NOUN and framed in the context of understanding how well the university has supported Nigeria’s Federal Character principle, which advocates for equity in many aspects of society along the lines of language, ethnicity, religion, geography and gender. Findings revealed a near equal gender balance in enrolment and that NOUN has met its mandate to provide a near barrier-free pathway to enrolment. In this regards, the authors conclude that NOUN is serving the public well, and should be more widely considered as a viable path to enrol in tertiary education.
While the previous article focused on how well NOUN is meeting the needs of the Nigerian population relative to equity of access, the article titled, “Application of Open and Distance Learning in Positioning Nigerian Educational System for Sustainable National Development” by Dr. Jonathan E. Aliede focuses on the capacity of NOUN itself to meet learners’ needs relative to infrastructure, personnel, etc. in the context of sustainability. The ambitious targets of the Sustainable Development Goals have increased the visibility of ODL globally, and in Nigeria national policies regularly cite the importance of ODL to national development. Given NOUN is the pre-eminent institution in the country to meet the ODL needs of Nigerians, the paper provides a series of recommendations NOUN to have a more established focus to contribute to the country’s development, to maintain its status to graduate larger learner populations, and to expand the ODL system throughout the country, with the assumption that NOUN should play a pivotal role in leading this expansion.
The article titled “The Impact of Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) in Funding Public Higher Education in Lagos State” by Sharkdam Wapmuk & Clifford Moses Amini about The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) supports the development and maintenance of the tertiary sector in Nigeria. Drawn from taxes levied on registered companies in Nigeria, the fund is directed toward tertiary institutions and is awarded primarily on the merits of a proposal, among other factors. The paper sought to ascertain the impact of the TETFUND on two universities in Lagos State. Primary and secondary sources were used. The TETFUND Funding Impact questionnaire was administered and 120 completed questionnaires were received from academic staff and students from two universities in Lagos State. Secondary sources were utilised and included academic and non-academic sources. In addressing the impact of the TETFUND on staff and students, the authors found that it has served the two institutions well in regard to physical and ICT infrastructure, academic resources and capacity building, and electrical supply. Accessing the funds, however was a challenge, and coincides with results found in the analyses of secondary resources. The authors conclude that the TETFUND proved to be an invaluable support to the two institutions researched. By this account the authors infer that greater use and distribution has the potential to make greater impact in the country’s tertiary sector.
“Breaking the Bar: Equity for Inmates and Freedom of Education through the National Open University of Nigeria” by Eric Omazu is an understudied phenomenon of open universities are their efforts to penetrate the prison systems in a given country. Oftentimes those who have been convicted of wrongdoing are destined to a life of marginalisation and poverty that has proven to lead to recidivism adding strain to the public purse. As in the general population, the view that education can aid the rehabilitation of inmates has been well-documented. Given the imposition of being incarcerated, studying through the distance mode is essentially the only way for inmates to engage in tertiary learning. This study sought to understand the experiences of inmates in Nigeria’s penal system studying at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN). The study employed a phenomenological inquiry and sought to understand inmates’ perception of their studies, and how well this will prepare them for life outside of prison. Participants from five institutions participated in the study that include prisons in Enugu, Port-Harcourt, Lagos, Kaduna and Abuja. Findings revealed that the learner-inmates find tremendous value and purpose through their studies. Many pursued studies in law to support their own legal issues, or as a means to enter this field upon release; many others pursued business as a means of becoming entrepreneurs envisioning a career path where they are self-employed. Inmates also viewed positive social benefits both within the prisons, based on how they were treated by prison staff, and by their own family. The study reveals another contour to the societal benefits of ODL and how NOUN is at the forefront of providing equitable opportunities to those seeking not only career advancement, but self-improvement.
Awolumate Samuel in the article titled, “Adaptability Friendliness Status of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in Fish Farming in Lagos State, Nigeria”, explains that the relevance and application of ICTs to all professions is becoming abundantly clear. In the context of fish farming, the current research sought to understand the positive and negative effects of ICTs on those engaged in fish farming in Nigeria. A total of 180 participants (76 female) completed a questionnaire on ICT use to aid in their work. It was found that the majority of respondents relied on ICT for fast communication and that online connectivity enabled in-time access to market or environmental issues (disease outbreaks). Interventions to augment ICT literacy are recommended, and resonate with work done on mobile phones in agriculture in India.
The article by Dr. Adakole Ikpe titled “The Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) Initiative of the National Open University of Nigeria” provides an historical overview of the growth of open education at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN). Viewing an international conference – The Commonwealth of Learning Pan Commonwealth Forum – held in Abuja in 2013 as a seminal moment in NOUN’s forays into open education, the author highlights that from that moment a commitment to developing open educational resources (OER) and massive open online courses (MOOCs) resulted. Though the declaration from the then NOUN Vice Chancellor was rather ambitious, it has since laid a foundation to build upon. NOUN has a dedicated OER unit, and international partnerships have been forged on MOOCs, with one having been successfully launched at NOUN. Two important lessons can be drawn from this article: one is that without institutional heads to buy-in to the open education concept, particularly with the alleged and overblown perils of losing intellectual property, the political will and momentum will fall short. The other is to have a vision on the merits of open education. The author points out the glaring unmet demand for higher education in Nigeria. Without more open action, if not activism, countries with comparatively low participation rates in higher education will perpetuate inequalities and lose out on the demographic dividend characteristic of many countries with low participation rates in higher education.
Kirk Perris, PhD – Adviser: Education at the Commonwealth of Learning, Vancouver Canada
Guest Editor