A Case for using open and distance learning (ODL) to widen access to tertiary education for women

Abstract

Education has become prominent among the various strategies for promoting women’s empowerment. Education is so critical that access should be created for women by all means. By its nature of overcoming time and space and meeting the learning styles of women who play triple roles in society, open and distance learning is a sure way of making education accessible to women no matter their location, status and situation. Theories of distance education also confirm that open and distance learning is no doubt promising for creating access to education for women and meeting their learning style. Statistics of distance learning institutions indicate a higher percentage of female enrollments compared to men. This is a unique mark of open and distance learning that will be very challenging to attain in on-campus programmes. It is in view of this peculiarity of open and distance learning programmes that this paper advocates it for promotion of education for women at the tertiary level.