Higher education in South Africa is highly valued, and their world-class academic institutions aim to provide the utmost access to the country’s many educational opportunities. Almost all of the country’s universities, of which there are 21, have now begun offering distance education programs—programs in which students can study online in South Africa, as opposed to the more restrictive and traditional university setting. Needless to say, these online study programs in South Africa have become very popular among students. According to university records, nearly 3 out of every 4 university students in South Africa have taken at least one course towards their degree using the online study format.
Study Online South Africa: Why Is It So Important?
South Africa is an expansive country; a country that since the long-awaited end to Apartheid has become increasingly progressive, both educationally and politically. Its population is almost equally divided between people residing in urban areas and those living in the more rural areas of the country, the latter of whom had virtually no access to urban universities prior to the development and implementation of a comprehensive distance education system.
As computers became more advanced and access to the Internet became more widespread, online study in South Africa became increasingly popular. Individuals who were previously unable to take advantage of higher education opportunities—people limited by distance, disability or time, as is the case with many who are employed full-time—could now pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees, and increase their career knowledge and skill-set through advanced certification programs. Online study in South Africa effectively removed the educational barriers for a significant percentage of the population—barriers that had formerly prevented educational attainment at the post-secondary level.
Online Study South Africa: How Does It Work?
As mentioned briefly above, the majority of universities now offer online study in South Africa, including at least two large institutions at which distance education is the sole method of educational delivery.
Students who wish to apply to study online in South Africa are required to have regular access to a computer and reliable Internet service. Courses are offered in subjects ranging from Accounting to Zoology, and class assignments are sent and returned electronically. Some programs even offer features such as virtual classrooms and streaming lectures, where students can interact with the instructor and their classmates in real time. Communication between teachers and students can take many forms, including email, instant messaging and video conferencing, and while some instructors may require students to physically attend the university periodically, for events such as exams, guest lectures, etc., many teachers will conduct the entire course through online study.
Collectively, the online study programs in South Africa have been instrumental in the country’s skyrocketing enrollment into university degree and certification programs. Programs with names such as “distance education” and “Study Online South Africa” are slowly helping to close the gap between the “haves” and the “have-nots,” and are ushering in a new generation of lifelong learners in the country.
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