| A public institution must view its policies within the broader context
of its jurisdiction. No institution can operate in isolation from others in its vicinity
or from the national or provincial government. Nor can an institution, perhaps
particularly a new distance education institution or program, operate without reference to
such wider issues as the educational and political climate or the role of private
institutions and other organizations in providing or supporting distance education and
training. In formulating policies, institutional leaders must ask themselves what
constraints or expectations these factors place on them and their institutions. By the
same token, the national or regional governments responsible for both distance and
conventional education institutions must make clear to them what these constraints and
expectations are and what will be done to enable the institutions to meet them.
Governments do not always fulfill this expectation, of course.
In considering how they fit into the context set by national policy, institutions need
to ask themselves such questions as these:
More Resources:
Ministry of Information. 1998. Communication Sector Policy Statement.
Malawi College of Distance Education. 1995. The Status of
Distance Education in Malawi.
ZINADOL. 1999. Submission of the Zimbabwe National
Association for Distance and Open Learning (ZINADOL) to the commission of inquiry into
education and training.
Magetse, T. 1997. Information and Communication Technology
Policy in Education, A paper presented at the National Workshop on 'ICT in
Swaziland Education' held October 2, 1997, Royal Swazi Spa, Swaziland. |
