The importance of studying at home for a degree: E-learning in Africa | E-learning - DW (English)

Many young Africans dream of a higher education by DW (English.

Symbolbild: Computertechnologie und digitales Afrika (
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But they often don't have the means: colleges are often far away and accommodation is expensive. Online universities and e-learning may provide a viable solution.

Lectures with compulsory attendance were not an option for Alida Tapsoba. The 29-year-old from Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso, has to earn a living and therefore needs to be in control of when she works and when she studies. With this in mind, she decided to take an online course. "But I was also afraid. I wasn't sure if I could do it," the journalism student told DW. "You have to be well organized to deliver the assignments on time — especially if you work extra hours." 

Alida Tapsoba said her choice is rather expensive. She spends a lot of money on internet access. She needs to download large files, which is time-consuming and costly. Rebecca Stromeyer knows the problem well. She said that in many African countries, internet access is consierably more expensive than in Germany. Stromeyer is the founder of eLearning Africa, an annual conference which attracts experts in the field to network and exchange information in a pan-African context.
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Source: DW (English