Impact of regulatory frameworks on the quality of distance education in Uganda’s higher education: a case of Uganda Martyrs University-Nkozi (UMU)

This study focuses on the impact of regulatory frameworks on the quality of distance education in Uganda’s higher education institutions with a focus on: identifying the existing regulatory frameworks for distance education, their impact and challenges as well as strategies to enhance them with a case of Uganda Martyrs University (UMU) using an exploratory design. Findings reveal that UMU implements different regulatory frameworks which include accreditation by the National Council of Higher Education (NCHE), quality assurance, credible and efficient assessment of the students and student support services. These have enabled the university to improve and maintain the quality of education through employing qualified staff, assessing students credibly, providing appropriate student support services and fostering open communication and collaboration among the students. These arise with challenges which included some distance learners being located in remote areas where access to online services is challenging due to poor internet and unreliable power sources, lack of proficiency in using digital platforms by some students and the rapid advancements in technology which leads to issues in data protection services. Therefore, government should put in place appropriate monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to ensure that higher education institutions comply with the existing regulatory frameworks.