Journal of Emerging Trends in Educational Research and Policy Studies: Home

Abstract:
This study sought to establish the knowledge and views of the parents concerning distance education at tertiary level so as to develop strategies around job-creation based growth and investment policies for the formal sector. Their children represent the potential catchment area for tertiary institutions, including open and distance learning. It is the role of parents to guide their children, search for identity with their prospective career choices in terms of career development and students require information, relevant to suit their capabilities, values and opportunities. Open and Distance Learning is a term that covers various forms of study in which students are not necessarily continuously and immediately supervised or tutored by lecturers. The main question therefore was what are the knowledge levels, and views of parents regarding Open and Distance Learning, and what quality promotion strategies do they recommend towards distance education and employment creation? Parent's contributions would consolidate formal sector employment and minimize the proportion of people in human poverty. The study established that the community view Open and Distance Education as being inferior and meant for students who could not meet requirements of conventional institutions. The significance of the study was that Open and Distance institutions need to improve their marketing strategies in an effort to concertize the community about their mandate. This in turn would improve employment creation.

Keywords: open and distance learning, knowledge, attitudes and employment creation.

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