This paper intends exploring the concepts of open learning and distanceeducation as a fundamental component of the reconstruction of South Africanhigher education development. Salient points that needs to be urgentlyaddressed are learner support and instructional design, multiculturalism,collaborative initiatives, technology enhanced learning, gender equity andthe gaps and silences of open learning in SA.The development of a well-designed and quality distance education systembased on the principles of open learning is the only feasible approach tomeeting the needs of the vast number of South Africans who weresystematically deprived of educational opportunity in the past, while at thesame time providing opportunities for the youth coming up through theeducational system at present. It will allow people access to education andtraining and the ability to determine where, when, what and how they want tolearn.The newly promulgated National Qualifications Framework sets in motionlife-long learning, employability and increased productivity in thecountry's educational system that is still characterised by low levels ofquality and continues to be lodged within an apartheid paradigm. Thecountry has also recognised the need for a fresh approach to the provisionof learning opportunities, and has identified distance education as acrucial mechanism of change. Distance education methods are appropriate andcost effective in South Africa's rather diverse educational sectors and isinstrumental in attaining the ideals of open and life-long learning.Technology enhanced learning is integral to the process of development of asustainable and quality distance education system. The rapidly expandingaccess to the world's knowledge resources provided by the growth ofinformation technology has a great impact on the provision of distanceeducation, especially in the South African context with its large rural andilliterate populace. This highly potent information revolution is centralin the reconstruction of distance education policy and provision in SouthAfrica. |