Abstract:
Distance education has been identified as a tool for opening up access to education.
In South Africa in particular, the model has been identified as being able to redress
past inequities. In this article, the researcher investigates to what extent ‘access’ is
being given to distance education students enrolled in the B.Ed. (Hons) Education
Management, Law and Policy programme at a university, and what the quality of the
access is in comparison to its conventional counterparts. The study uses a combination
of surveys, interviews and administrative records. The findings reveal that enrolled
distance education students on the programme enjoy open access in terms of the
university’s admission policies. However, paradoxes exist in relation to the use of
media, non-instructional support services, the absence of bridging courses, the lack
of financial assistance to prospective students without jobs, lack of access to library
services, limited access to bursaries for enrolled students, and limited faculty–student
contact. Recommendations include: introduction of counselling services, decentralised
library facilities, toll-free telephone services, and the release of government funds
for bursaries, as is the case for conventional students. It is encouraging that the
newly reviewed programme, rolled out in October 2010, contains most of these
recommended opportunities.
