OLDEA-EA

The OLDEA-EA is or was a regional umbrella association of five countries in East Africa. It is difficult to determine the entity's status as of July 2009.

Country members include [[Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi and Seychelles. Each of the five countries has representative national association as follows:

• Kenya - Open Learning Association of Kenya (OPLAK)

• Uganda - Uganda National Distance and Open Learning (UNDOL)

• Tanzania - Distance Education Association of Tanzania (DEAT)

• Malawi - Open Distance Education Association of Malawi (ODEAM)

• On its establishment (year unknown), Seychelles was in the process of registering a National Association.

The Aims and Objectives of OLDEA-EA were cited in an undated African Virtual University report to UNESCO as follows:

• Promote professionalism in Open and Distance Education

• Promote scholarship by way of organizing conferences, workshops, seminars etc.
• Provide a platform for networking with other organizations in the world.
• Facilitate development of Information communication Technology (ICT) policy within member countries.
• Exchange information and materials on distance education.
• To advance the educational course by supporting broad based levels of education from basic education to tertiary levels.
• To promote research and evaluation of distance education and open learning in East Africa.
• To promote and enhance quality Assurance in distance education.
• To provide a platform for sharing of learning materials and expertise within the sub-region.
• To encourage publication of distance and open learning journals, refreed journals and other scholarly materials within the region.

The association (OLDEA-EA) is governed by a constitution. The association was formed in 1998 September in Dar-es-Salaam by a team of distance education experts from the region. The National association selects representatives to the regional association. Executive leaders of the association are based on a two-year term. The first chairperson was a distance education expert from the Open University of Tanzania. The current one is from the Department of Distance Education, University of Makere. The association holds annual conferences once a year.

The OLDEA-EA web site is unknown.

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