Patrick Hilbert
21 August 2007
interview
Port Louis — "Students can learn and earn at the same time"
Why distance education?
The positive aspects of distance education are numerous. It provides greater access to students both in terms of geographical reach & financial costs; it overcomes age barriers and one can study at one's own pace and leisure. The entry requirements are less rigid and heavy infrastructure is not needed. Another main point is that students can learn & earn at the same time. Hence, they can finance their own studies and, on the other hand, they can acquire work experience, which is becoming almost imperative for employment.
Is there a growing interest in such types of courses?
There is definitely a huge interest in this mode of education, as the students realize that they have to optimize their time and reduce their costs.
How many students follow these types of courses at MALEM?
We have been providing distance education for the past 10 years and are pioneers in this sector. There is an increasing demand for this mode of education, but the proper investment must be there to support it administratively & academically. We have nearly 1,000 students.
Is distance education going to be increasingly important in the future?
I would not go as far as saying that distance education is the future of education, but distance education has got a lot of prospects and has served the student community in many respects. Mauritius will continue the world trend. The sector will continue to grow as Mauritius aims to be a knowledge-based economy.
What kind of people register for your courses?
The profile of the students is varied but they mostly come from the working class. I would like to add that there are enormous financial advantages for students. For a bachelor's degree course, they pay one-fifth of what they pay in a conventional mode of education.
Do the degrees awarded through distance learning have the same value as traditional ones?
The qualifications obtained are recognized internationally. The mode of education is never mentioned on the certificate, hence they are at par with qualifications obtained by other conventional modes.
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