CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of study

The United Nations General Assembly declared 2005-2014 as the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD), reiterating the importance of education in modeling ideals that support sustainable development and are capable of building sustainable societies (UN, 2005). Education is regarded as an instrument "par excellence" (NPE, 2013) in the Nigerian environment, a true method of developing human resources' full capacities and potentials as well as a sound intelligent learning society fit and relevant to the twenty-first century. One of the ultimate aims of education is to help students apply what they've learned in school to real-life circumstances in order to solve future difficulties and develop problem-solving methods that will prepare them for future challenges. As a result, the modern definition of sustainable development, as drawn from the Brundtland Report of 1987, is "development that meets current demands without jeopardizing future generations' ability to satisfy their own needs." As a result, sustainable development is a concept of national development that includes development, growth, and lifelong learning. All post-secondary studies, training, or research training are included in university education. This type of research focuses on the creation of a high-level workforce in the context of the nation's needs.

Open and Distance Education, on the other hand, refers to educational techniques that emphasize liberating learners from time and location constraints while providing flexible learning options. (COL, 2000; Daniel, 2012; Open Society, 2007; Shabani & Okebukola, 2002). According to UNESCO (2002), Open and Distance Learning (ODL) reflects both the fact that all or most of the teaching is done by someone who is separated from the learner in time and space, and that the mission aims to include more openness and flexibility, whether in terms of access, curriculum, or other structural elements Hundreds of thousands of students are enrolled in distance learning universities around the world. Among these are the University of Anadolu in Turkey, which has 577,000 students, and the Radio and Television University in China, which has over 500,000 students enrolled. Terbuka University in Indonesia has 350,000 students, according to Keegan (1994). There are 500,000 students enrolled at Indira Gandhi National Open University, 216,000 at Sukkothai Thammatirat Open University in Thailand, and 210,000 at Korea National Open University. All of these are institutions with only one method of operation (Peters, 2003). Similarly, Nigeria's National Open University has a student enrollment of far over 180,000. (Tenebe, 2013). The massive enrollment capacity of open and distance institutions around the world validates their formation as a potential solution to the problem of access. As a result, Open and Distance Education (ODE) has emerged as a viable option for widening access to higher education for people from all walks of life. Furthermore, Open and Distance Learning has emerged as a means for overcoming the boundaries created by the ‘closed' system (Okebukola, 2014). This is due to the fact that Open and Distance Education does not have a carrying capacity issue (ODE).

1.2 Statement of problem

In Nigeria, there is still a strong demand for university education and on-the-job training. The difficulties faced by the numerous students who have been unable to gain placement in Nigeria's substandard traditional educational institutions are incomprehensible. As a result, despite meeting the minimum entry requirements, a significant number of students are denied admission to universities. While some countries have been successful in employing distant education to address the issue of access to higher education, Nigeria's situation remains questionable. This is due to the fact that distant education schools are nonetheless subjected to the same admission procedures as traditional colleges (Awe, 2012). As a result, distant education in Nigeria can not be regarded to have completely solved the access problem.

1.3 Objective of study

The following are primary objectives of this study:

1. To examine the relationship between sustainable development and open distance learning

2. To examine the contribution of open distance learning to the sustainable development goals of higher education

3. To examine how accessible open distance learning is

1.4 Research question

1. What is the relationship between sustainable development and open distance learning?

2. What is the contribution of open distance learning to the sustainable development goals of higher education?

3. How accessible is open distance learning?

1.5 Significance of study

This study will be beneficial to lecturers and administrators because it will identify appropriate ways for facilitating and maintaining student enrollment and absorbing a big percentage of unmet demand for university education. This can be accomplished by introducing innovative and appealing short and long-term courses, relaxing entrance restrictions, supporting the creation of more single and dual-mode ODL universities, and building resource centers to improve students' access to information and communication technology.

1.6 Scope of study

This study aims at assessing the attainment of sustainable development of university education in Nigeria through open distance learning. This study is delimited to University of Ibadan

1.7 Limitation of study

Finance,inadequate materials and time constraint were the challenges the researchers encountered during the course of the study.

1.8 Definition of terms

Sustainable Development: Sustainable development is an organizing principle for meeting human development goals while simultaneously sustaining the ability of natural systems to provide the natural resources and ecosystem services on which the economy and society depend.

Open Distance Learning: This is a general term for the use of telecommunication to provide or enhance learning. The acquisition of knowledge and skills through mediated information and instruction, encompassing all technologies and other forms of learning at a distance.

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