Reengineering higher education: the case of an African institution

Strong tertiary education is seen as a critical success factor in the development of society at large in the developing world, of which most nations of Africa feature prominently. Although several countries embark on educational reforms and promise access to higher education for all, various problems, including distance, lack of resources and the complexity of delivery, are major hindrances to the process itself. The lack of enabling technologies has denied the potential fruits of higher education to some deserving and qualified citizens of developing countries. The problem can be alleviated by a more effective use of current educational assets coupled with distance education knowledge diffusion. Distance education (DE) is one such use of current educational assets through the infusion of information technology. Implementing DE in an effective manner relies on the process itself, the methodologies, techniques and tools. The various centres of delivery and classrooms must be connected: via radio, telephone, computer or other electronic means. This study explores the process of reengineering higher education through DE and proposes a Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) approach that addresses the major technological, political and economic issues faced during implementation.