Quality and effective student support service (SSS) is a critical demand in the ever-changing landscape of distance education. It is common knowledge that distance education students need continuous support during their studies in order to cope with academic demands while attending to other key activities. This study set out to evaluate the implementation of SSS at the Namibia University of Science and Technology Centre for Open and Lifelong Learning (NUST COLL) at different regional centres across Namibia. The objectives of the study were to: identify problems and challenges experienced with the current implementation of SSS, determine the needs of the distance students and propose recommendations for the improvement of SSS at the regional centres. In an attempt to realise the objectives of the study, the study incorporated both quantitative and qualitative research design to collect data, by making use of questionnaires, open-ended questions and interviews. The participants included 8 regional coordinators (RC) who were purposively selected and 109 distance students who were selected through stratified and convenience sampling techniques from seven COLL regional centres. It was evident from the findings that most students opted for distance education as it allows them to work and study. Furthermore, many students have been studying for many years without getting any qualification. While NUST was providing different SSS, the findings brought to light some challenges such as the shortage of technological tools, understaffed regional centres, and unavailability of support services on weekends and public holidays and lack of collaboration between marker-tutors, lecturers and regional face-to-face tutors. It is proposed that the current model of SSS should be redesigned to respond to challenges facing distance education students at the regional centres. A model for implementation of SSS was developed to pave the way for effective implementation geared towards reducing the dropout rates and increase success rates. Key terms: Implementation of student support services, technological tools, model for implementation, regional coordinators, academic demands, increase success rates, regional centres, distance education, regional centres, and dropout rates. / Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed. (Education Management)

This Diploma Thesis is focused on the issues of care for the traditional folk culture in the Czech Republic. In the theoretical part there is described the development of international and Czech legislative in the field of traditional folk culture, which has an impact on the practical care. The care is practised by the assigned regional centres of care for traditional folk culture in all regions of the Czech Republic. The assigned centres work in accordance with the Strategy of Improved Care for Traditional Folk Culture in the Czech Republic 2011-2015. Aim of this thesis is to find out by means of analysis and comparison whether the assigned regional centres fulfil the specific tasks formulated in the Strategy. For this purpose a special questionnaire was created and evaluated. The results of the analysis will be used as a source material by the Ministry of Culture Czech Republic. On the basis of the results it will be possible to change, reduce of re-formulate the tasks for the regional centres in the new Strategy.