Challenges Confronting Study Centre Coordinators of the Distance Education Programme of the University of Education, Winneba, Ghana

Abstract

One major aspect of the student support system of the distance education programme of the University of Education, Winneba (UEW) is the management of study centres. When Study Centre Coordinators are overwhelmed with challenges, the quality of the support services they provide for the Distance Education students is affected negatively. The importance of this study therefore, lies in the fact that it is a wake up call for Distance Education managers to adequately resource Study Centre Coordinators to enhance the quality of education delivery to the Distance Education students. The study sought to find out the challenges confronting the Study Centre Coordinators (SCCs) at the various study centres. The study employed qualitative methodology, which made use of semi-structured interviews and focused group discussions to collect qualitative data. Seventeen out of the 27 Study Centre Coordinators participated in the study.The challenges during the study included, delays in supply of materials such as modules, inadequate facilities and communication gap between the headquarters[Institute for Educational Development and Extension/Centre for Distance Education]  (IEDE/CDE) and the study centres as well as delayed payment of financial claims.Based on the findings, it was recommended that UEW and other distance learning institutions should ensure effective communication with the study centres, devise more efficient means of making prompt payment of tutorial and all claims, and ensure that course modules, tablets and other related materials are dispatched early enough and in sufficient quantities to the study centres for distribution to students.

Keywords:Study Centre Coordinators, Open and distance learning, study centres, learner support services