President Bola Tinubu has pledged his administration’s continued support for the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) to enhance the advancement of its Open and Distance Learning (ODL) system.
The President gave the assurance on Saturday in Abuja at the institution’s 14th Convocation Ceremony, during which the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, and Dr Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), were conferred with honorary doctorate degrees.
While Abbas received an honorary Doctorate in Business Administration, Adesina was conferred with a Doctor of Humane Letters.
Represented by the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, through Hajia Rakiya Gambo, Director of Tertiary Education at the Federal Ministry of Education, Tinubu stated that NOUN would receive strong backing via the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund).
He emphasised the importance of advancing technology in tertiary institutions to ensure robust learning outcomes, particularly within the ODL framework.
“The Federal Government, under my leadership, is committed to supporting education by leveraging information technology to enhance learning,” Tinubu said.
“Through strategic interventions, we are ensuring that education remains the foundation of our technological development.
“To this end, the government, through TETFund, is financing the installation of fibre optic infrastructure at NOUN to provide seamless internet access to a substantial number of students at study centres across the country’s geopolitical zones.
“This initiative harnesses the power of technology to broaden access to education as rapidly as possible.
“NOUN has benefitted significantly from various government interventions facilitated through TETFund, and we remain dedicated to ensuring consistent financial support for the growth of ODL in Nigeria.”
Vice-Chancellor of NOUN, Professor Olufemi Peters, said the university continues to receive numerous requests for the establishment of additional study centres from prominent individuals, community leaders, and organisations.
He stated that this is a clear indication of the essential role the institution plays in national development.
“To meet the demands of our growing reach, we are leveraging cutting-edge Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to improve instructional delivery and enhance learning outcomes.
“Our global learning culture is further enriched through strategic collaborations with institutions such as the University of South Africa, the Open University (UK), the Open University of Tanzania, and others,” he said.
According to Peters, this year’s convocation marks another milestone in the university’s journey, with 17,420 students graduating—comprising 10,967 undergraduates and 6,413 postgraduates.
Earlier, the Pro-Chancellor of NOUN, Malam Isa Yuguda, urged the Federal Government to allow NOUN graduates to participate in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme to encourage more young people to enrol in ODL programmes.
Yuguda also appealed to the government to grant NOUN law graduates admission into the Nigerian Law School, thereby increasing access to legal education.
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