WEEK 7, AFRICA DISTANCE LEARNING

Africa E-learning system has struggled to get off it feet from the start. Unlike the positive reception the system received from countries like Australia and America, the e-learning (distance learning) was met by disapproval and ignorance.
Academic Traditionalists resisted this new move and it was so different to the strict regime they were used to.


I checked out http://www.elearning-africa.com/newsportal/english/index.php, Africa's Newsportal updating and giving news on the elearning system.

After checking out the site i found one particular article most interesting.
'Education in a Health Disaster – Is eLearning a Solution?'

In this article it explains the how an outbreak of Cholera in Zambia has caused schools to close.
A directive from the Ministry of Education enforced the fact that all schools in the cholera-affected areas should not open until the Cholera outbreak that had affected Southern Zambia was fully under control. Alongside this terrible epidemic of cholera is the fact that children must stay at home and miss out on their education as the government is unprepared to provide alternative means, this article asks whether eLearning could provide a solution to the large-scale closure of schools.

The students feel disadvantaged as friends and other other students in non-cholera affected areas are continuing their studies and will be fully prepared for their exams.

Brenda Zulu suggests that elearning is the way forward. Students could acesses teachers’ lessons through either an Internet cafe or from home or any convenient place arranged for that matter. I think this is a great way to ensure students dont get behind, as the article quite rightly points out that only is it way for students to acess their specific subject notes but its a beneficial way for students to educate themselves on important issues such as cholera awareness.

It is also an opportunity for the children to learn IT skills which may help them in the future, alongside this with more children begining encouraged to use this elearning system then companies such as HealthNet or other initiatives could consider collaborating with mobile service providers to have POP access through cell phones, since they are reasonable widely distributed in the country, followed by radios and TVs.

If the country was to begin to use this elearning system and students encouraged to take part, then the system's worth could be tested. Perhaps then the advantages and strenghts of this system would be seen by the government, and instead of this current situation where they are unprepared to provide alternative means, the Zambian government may consider investing in eLearning initiatives in the future.