**13. The unexploited treasures of running ODL programmes**

The social, economic and political environment in Uganda is increasingly encouraging fresh 'A' level leavers and lifelong learners to prefer the ODL mode of study. Presently, over 20% of Makerere University's student population is made up of distance learners. This population is contained in only 4 programmes (less than 1% of the entire programmes) of the university. At the current admission quotas, it is projected that 6,571 students shall be enrolled in the existing four external programmes over the next five years as is seen in *Table 5* below.

In its strategic plan for 2008/09 – 2018/19, Makerere University intends to initiate 6 more ODeL programmes "in at least six faculties" (Makerere University, 2008, p.15). In each of these six programmes, an annual recruitment of 1,000 students per programme is anticipated. This shall give a total of 6,000 students per annum in the new ODeL programmes. When this is done, ODeL shall on average have an enrollment of 12,571 students per annum (6,571 (on existing programmes) plus 6,000 (on the proposed six programmes). This student number presents a golden opportunity for Makerere University in-terms of increasing access to higher education and providing the much needed financial muscle for running the University's activities. The revenue projections from the above enrolment scenarios are shown in *Table 6* below.

Open and Distance Learning in Dual Mode Universities: A Treasure Unexploited 49

ODL activities are industry like. Once it is fully established, a distance learning dispensation has ability to sustain itself. Dual mode universities should invest in infrastructure (oncampus and off-campus) and study materials and human resources development for ODL. Dual mode universities should put in place policies and strategies governing the day to day running and management of ODL programmes in their institutions. This will iron out the

Activities in distance learning units of dual mode universities are quite unique from those of sister departments offering contact tuition. To enable for the much needed flexibility, ODL

Due to increasing use of ICTs in ODL, delivery of ODL is rapidly evolving. Dual mode universities should permit this dynamism to flourish so as to benefit from modern forms of

So as to embrace ODL, continuous sensitization about ODL amongst stakeholders is vital.

This Chapter has highlighted the challenges of ODL in dual mode universities with particular reference to Makerere University. It has shown that adequate funding is the key to efficient student support services. With a proper ODL policy in place, ODL programmes themselves can generate funds that can sustain them and other activities of the universities where they belong. The Chapter has also shown that an on-campus based programme mindset is so awash in dual mode universities and is detrimental to the successful running of ODL programmes as staff treat ODL learners in a similar way as on-campus based learners. Despite all these challenges, ODL present enormous possibilities for increasing access to higher education and improving universities' balance sheets. When these basic facts are known, the unexploited potentials of running ODL programmes shall be harnessed. The future of ODL in dual mode institutions lies in recognizing the uniqueness of this mode of delivery by operationalising separate sets of policies and strategies for ODL

Aguti, N. J. (2009). University Education for National Development: Makerere University's

Aguti, N. J., & Fraser, J. W. (2006). Integration of Information Communication Technologies

Keegan, D. (1990). Open Learning: Concepts and Costs Successes and Failures. In R. M.

Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.

Dual Mode Experience. In S. Marshall, W. Kinuthia, W. Taylor (Ed.), Bridging the Knowledge Divide. Educational Technology for Development (pp. 215-229).

(ICTs) in the Distance Education Bachelor of Education Programme, Makerere University, Uganda. *Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education -TOJDE, 7*(3),

Atkinson, C. (Ed.), *Open Learning and New Technologies* (pp. 230 - 243). ASET:

rifts and conflicts in the internal and distance learning modes of study.

units should be granted freedom and resources to execute their unique activities.

**14. Recommendations** 

ODL delivery.

**15. Conclusions and future work** 

and on-campus based learning.

Article: 7.

Murdoch University Perth.

**16. References** 


Table 5. Projection for Existing ODL Programmes Based on Current Admission Quota.

In the next five years beginning 2012/13 to 2016/17, the average projected annual enrollment on the existing ODL programmes (shown in *Table 5* above) shall be 6,571 students.


Table 6. Annual Tuition Revenue from Existing and Proposed ODL Programmes.

At an exchange rate of UGX 2,800 to USD 1, Makerere University will be able to generate about \$4.3 million per annum from ODL programmes alone. This is a golden treasure Makerere University is yet to exploit. Just like any other investment, there must be an initial capital outlay into the ODL programmes before the projections in *Table 6* above can be achieved.
