DOI: 10.36347/sjahss.2015.v03i08.012

Pages: 1347-1352

Open distance learning (ODL) has been making milestones in endeavours to make education accessible to all people. Distance education as an educational process in which a significant proportion of teaching is conducted by someone far removed in space and, or in time from the learners. The flexibility has been increased with advancement and use of Information and Communications Technologies. The purpose of the study was to investigate factors contributing to the dichotomy from plummeting and swelling of enrolments in ZOU Midlands region. All the participants of this study were purposefully selected in line with qualitative research approaches. The participants of this study were students, lecturers and the support staff. The researcher employed document analysis, focus group discussions and, face to face interviews to collect data .Transcribed data from focus groups and individual interviews were thematically analysed. The study revealed that several factors including increased publicity on lifting of suspended programmes, SSB and Edu-loan facilities to ODL students, slashed fees, Ministry’ of Secondary and Primary School promotional polices which made it imperative for all teachers to have theory of education, amicable ZOU terms of fees payment and UNICEF fees payment programmes for teachers contributed to enrolments swelling in ZOU Midlands region. This study recommends providing financial support schemes to ODL students by government, especially students who are not civil servants and are not covered by SSB and Edu-loan, institute continuous monitoring and evaluation of the ODL programmes in the country to facilitate its effective implementation nationally and marketing of ZOU programmes must be intensified.