The shift to Open Distance eLearning (ODeL) holds transformative potential in higher education. However, pedagogical practices remain largely shaped by neoliberal ideologies that privilege efficiency, standardisation, and market-driven outcomes over equity, cultural relevance, and critical engagement. This conceptual paper confronts the urgent need to decolonise ODeL by advancing human-centred pedagogies grounded in social justice and inclusivity. The core issue examined is the disjuncture between students' diverse lived realities and the technocentric, depersonalised learning models that dominate ODeL systems. Anchored in social constructivism and decolonial theory, the paper promotes pedagogies that centre relationality, plurality, and co-creation of knowledge. Through a critical analysis of literature on neoliberalism, decolonisation and technology in education, the paper argues that while digital tools can expand access, they often entrench exclusionary logics unless purposefully reimagined. Findings underscore that decolonising ODeL entails rejecting epistemic hierarchies, challenging instrumentalist assessment models, and fostering platforms that affirm learners’ identities and intellectual agency. This paper further contributes a conceptual framework for educators and policymakers to reimagine ODeL as an inclusive, dialogic, and contextually responsive educational space. By centring local epistemologies and reorienting faculty practices, the paper outlines actionable pathways for resisting commodified education and enabling meaningful transformation.

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