Accra, Feb. 09, GNA - University of Ghana, Legon is to introduce an electronic-mediated learning system for its Distant Education programmes and Courses, Professor Clifford Nii Boye Tagoe, the Vice Chancellor on Saturday announced.

He said such learning system to be introduced soon would be done through emails, video conferencing, VCDs and other electronic media. Addressing the first batch of students enrolled on the University's Distant Education programme at a matriculation ceremony, Prof. Tagoe said all registered students would have a University of Ghana email address to which important information would be sent to them from time to time.

He said they were also required to go under training in the use of computer in a programme, offered by the ICT Directorate of the University called Computer Driving License Programme. "...The University has been fast-tacking the developm3nt of its ICT infrastructure to fit into the global trend of the ICT revolution," Prof. Tagoe said.

He said ICT facilities have been developed at all the 10 regional centres of the Institute of Adult of Education and the Awudome Residential Adult College at Tsito, both under the University of the Ghana.

The Vice Chancellor said Distant Education has globally become the greatest solution for increasing admission into universities, decongesting campuses and an efficient utilisation of time and space. The programme therefore was part of a project by the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) in 1991 to use distance education as complementary means to widen access to tertiary education in Ghana. The University in November 2007 succeeded in launching the programme through the Institute of Adult Education. Currently, the Distance Education Centre is offering courses that exist in the Business School and the Faculty of Social Studies and Arts for the award of Bachelor's Degrees starting with five courses namely: Geography, Resource Development, Economics, Sociology, Psychology and Linguistics. Of the 1,128 applicants offered admission, 906 have so far accepted the offer and registered to pursue BA programme this academic year. Students are accorded the same privileges as those on full time at the Main University campus.