Organizational and Managerial Factors Affecting the Secondary Level Distance Education in Ethiopia

Tefera, Tesfaye Ejigu (2002) Organizational and Managerial Factors Affecting the Secondary Level Distance Education in Ethiopia. Masters thesis, Addis Ababa University.

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Abstract

The main objective of this study was to investigate organizational and managerial factors affecting the secondary level of distance education in Ethiopia. To conduct this study, a descriptive survey was employed. Questionnaire survey, interview, document analysis and organizational observation were used to collect the necessary data. The subjects of this study were chosen using systematic and availability sampling procedures. The research study involved three categories of sample population: Distance students, distance education staff members and tutors. Data analysis was made by using statistical tools such as percentage, chi-square and t-test to identify whether there were differences or agreement in the views of the respondents regarding the various variables. The study findings indicated that there is disparity between the needs of the distance education students and the provision of educational services. Some of these include: delays in informing examination results, delays in distribution of course materials, low turn-around time of assignments, and shortage of trained staff members. Besides, inadequate facilities such as computer network have been big problems for secondary level distance education. According to this study, the major reasons for the delays of services were limited institutional capacity, over-centralization of distance education activities and inefficient postal service. Moreover, tutors and Distance Education Panel staff members are not equipped with the necessary skills that would enable them to carryout their duties effectively. As the study reveals the largest group of distance students (64%) were not beneficiaries of tutorial programs mainly due to long distance of the tutorial ix centres from the students' locality and the absence of tutorial programs in some regions (Somali, Afar, DireDawa, Benshangul-Gumuz and Gambela). Moreover, the educational radio programs were underutilized and most of them were not helpful because they were not based on the new syllabus. Though efforts have been made in the provision of the three instructional media; namely, print, face-to-face and radio, they could not be used effectively to support the distance learners. The results obtained also indicated that distance students on the average spend 10 years to complete the secondary level (9-12 grades) though the expected time of completion is 2 years. Distance students identified inefficiency of postal service, delay in sending examinations, course materials and assignments as the major reasons for the low rate of progress. The results obtained indicated that all the problems cited in the findings are closely related to capacity, organizational and managerial problems. Finally, based on the findings and conclusions, recommendations were made to address the problems under study.

Item Type: Thesis (Masters)
Subjects: L Education > L Education (General)
Divisions: Africana
Depositing User: Vincent Mpoza
Date Deposited: 26 Nov 2018 12:53
Last Modified: 26 Nov 2018 12:53
URI: http://thesisbank.jhia.ac.ke/id/eprint/7674

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