Impediments Encountered by Female Learners in Access to Diploma Education Through Open and Distance Learning in Tanzania

Abstract

This study investigates the gender-specific barriers that female learners face in accessing and successfully participating in distance education programmes, focusing on the Tanzanian context. Drawing on liberal feminist theory, which advocates for equal rights, opportunities, and institutional support for women, the paper examines how open and distance learning (ODL) environments address or perpetuate existing gender inequalities. Drawing on qualitative data from female students enrolled in Open and Distance Learning (ODL) programmes, this study identifies various challenges that hinder access to diploma education. These include entrenched gender roles and domestic responsibilities, reproductive obligations, patriarchal constraints, financial dependency, low self-confidence, and limited digital literacy. The findings indicate that, while ODL is designed to offer flexibility and inclusivity, it often falls short in meeting the specific needs of female learners due to persistent structural and sociocultural barriers. The analysis challenges the assumption that flexibility alone guarantees equity and instead calls for gender-responsive reforms in the design, delivery, and institutional policies governing distance education. The study concludes by recommending targeted strategies to promote gender equity in ODL, such as policy reforms, financial support mechanisms, awareness campaigns, and capacity-building initiatives. These findings contribute to ongoing debates on gender and education, highlighting the need for a feminist-informed approach to educational access and reform in developing countries.