Examination of Challenges in Distance Learning Programme. Evidence from Koforidua Study Centre - Kwame Nkrumah University of Science Technology (KNUST), Ghana

Distance Learning has become the major focus for majority of people for upgrading themselves which
otherwise might be difficult if not impossible to execute by some individuals who would like to further their
studies. Even though Distance Learning has numerous benefits, students are faced with a lot of challenges
which is affecting their performance that ought to be addressed to enhance their studies. The purpose of the
study is to find out the challenges students are saddled with during their study. The researchers made use of
questionnaire and observation to collate information at the Koforidua Study Centre of Institute of Distance
Learning (IDL), KNUST. The study revealed that students face various kinds of challenges which include;
financial challenges resulting in difficulties in paying fees due to long term of servicing loans, inability to
learn due to busy work schedules as well as managing family responsibility, inability to access additional
information due to expensive nature of computers and tablets. Poor concentration level due to loud noise from
the learning environment during Sunday services among others as well as uncomfortable nature of studying
seats at the centre and less spacious nature of some of the classrooms making teaching and learning
uninteresting. Recommendations were made on how some of the challenges could be managed by the
authorities to help reduce the problem if not totally eradicating them.