STUDENTS’ PERCEPTION OF NATIONAL TEACHERS’ INSTITUTE – NIGERIA CERTIFICATE IN EDUCATION DISTANCE EDUCATION PROGRAMME IN EBONYI AND ENUGU STATES, NIGERIA.

This study investigated the students’ perception of NTI – NCE distance education programme in South East, Nigeria. A descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. Five research questions were formulated for the study. Five research hypotheses were posed for the study. Using the stratified random sampling technique a total of 588 NTI – NCE distance learners from Ebonyi and Enugu states were randomly sampled, and stratified along state and gender. A structured questionnaire was used for data collection. A sample size of 588 NTI – NCE distance learners was used for data collection. The reliability coefficients of 0.70, 0.72, 0.77, 0.76 and 0.74 respectively with a grand mean of 0.73 were obtained using Cronbach Alpha method of determining internal consistency of the instrument while two experts, in Distance Education and Measurement and Evaluation carried out face validation of the instrument. Five research questions were answered using mean and standard deviation while the five hypotheses which guided the study were tested at 0.05 level of significance using the t-test statistic. It was found out that the quality of teaching activities offered in NTI distance learning programme was high; the learning activities involved in the NTI programme were adequate and effective; the NTI – NCE programme was found to be convenient; the NTI – NCE programme was found to be capital intensive, and the programme was found to be useful. The use of effective distance teaching skills; programmes to be learner - centred rather than teacher-controlled; use of multi-media approach in course delivery; the establishment of more open and distance learning (ODL) institutions; and adequate recognition of distance learning programmes in Nigeria were the recommendations made.