Does long distance education work?
Gideon Nangolo
These institutions are however not the only road to education and self-development. Especially for people that are already working and for some reason did not have the opportunity, money or time to follow the proven path to academic education straight out of high school. I am one of those people. Having a full time job as a Supervisor in the Immigration Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs, means it is not easy to find the time to actually pursue outside interests, especially something as time-consuming as studies. This means that self-improvement becomes more difficult and in turn qualifying for promotions becomes harder. But, to not study, means not to become better educated and miss out on promotions. This is where academic institutions like Southern Business School Namibia come along and play an important role. People often do not think and realise that long distance learning is a real viable option, providing you choose a properly accredited institution. SBS is one of these institutions.
My journey of tertiary education has meant that I have been able to achieve the position of Supervisor and I plan to continue to study and make promotions.
Starting my studies, I enrolled with SBS and earned a Certificate in Management. This made me eager for more and a Diploma in Management and advanced Management soon followed. Studying from home and at my own pace suited me fine and I was very proud when I was able to achieve an Advanced Diploma in Management. I managed to gain my Bachelor of Business Administration Honours Degree and am actually close to receiving my Masters of Management. It has been very intense, with lots of long study hours, but the way the courses are set up, really makes it a worthwhile endeavour, with the added bonus of receiving an NQA certified degree at the end. The access to education and courses, in my own time and at my own pace means that I can now realistically think about studying for a PhD as well as possibly becoming a university lecturer. Not only that, but distance education has also given me new opportunities beyond receiving a promotion. SBS has equipped me with the necessary knowledge and skills to start my own business called ‘Think Tank Academy’. In this business, I am responsible for assisting final year students from various colleges and universities countrywide as well as students who are experiencing difficulties with their academic research project (Mini-Thesis). Studying and improving myself academically has really become a passion and through SBS Namibia I have been able to go further and faster than I imagined and I am not finished yet. There are lots of ways to educate yourself, but long distance learning is a great format and works well here in Namibia.
