The event, organised by the UTG in partnership with the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) started on Monday at the UTG Confrence Hall along MDI Road, Kanifing.
Speaking at the opening of the event, Prof. Francis Sarr, a representative of the Vice Chancellor, stated that the benefits of ODL include the development of student experiences, enhancement of staff experiences, benefits on space utilisation both physically and virtually and the enhancement of the system for performance management and sustainable financing.
“This is a learning process for the staff and students, and furthering the objectives that the administration of the University community sets to enhance teaching and learning for UTG. I have no doubt that you will be ready to take the task of looking at the possibility of implementing the ideas of ODL in the University with the help of COL,” he added.
Prof. Jane-Frances Agbu, representative of COL, underscored the importance of the convergence, while stating that the session was called because of the reality that a meaningful policy could only be drafted by the stakeholders.
Dwelling on COL, she highlighted that her institution is based in Canada and was established in 1987 by the Commonwealth Heads of Government with the vision to create wider access to opportunities for learning, making use of the potential of distance education and by application of communication technology to education.
“The Commonwealth stakeholders proudly believe that giving people the opportunity to learn how to accelerate progress towards achieving sustainable development contributes to the Commonwealth value of peace, democracy and good governance. The Commonwealth of learning has three pathways of change that include national resilience, institutional resilience, and improving lives and livelihood,” she said.
Prof. Jane continued that their strategic plan for 2021 to 2027 is anchored on learning for sustainable development and that learning must lead to economic growth, social inclusion and developmental preservation. In line with this vision, she added that COL would be happy to facilitate this important meeting of stakeholders towards ODL sensitization and policy drafting.
“The expectation at the end of the convergence is that stakeholders will have enhanced knowledge on ODL and in draft policy documenting. Lessons from the Covid-19 pandemic have taught us that utilisation of digital technology for teaching and learning is pivotal for sustainable development,” she concluded.
Prof. Kayode Adekeye, the UTG project coordinator, who delivered his statement via virtual means, urged the participants to seriously contribute their ideas for drafting the ODL policy and its subsequent validation. He said: “Open and distance learning has become a key operation in education across the globe and because of the fact that funding has become an issue across the globe as things continue to be expensive.”
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