President Bola Tinubu has said the open and distance learning approach is a sure way to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 4, which seeks to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all by the Year 2030.
President Tinubu stated this on Saturday in Abuja at the 13th Convocation ceremony of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN).
Tinubu who doubles as The Visitor to the University was represented by the Deputy Executive Secretary (Academics) at the National Universities Commission (NUC), Noel Saliu.
He assured that his administration will practice a democracy that eliminates poverty while providing quality education for Nigerian citizens.
The President sued for cutting-edge multidisciplinary research that would benefit Nigerian citizens and Nigeria.
The Visitor assured that the Federal Government will continue to promote distance learning, which he said has been expanded to accommodate private sector involvement to create access and promote quality as well as affordable modes of tertiary education.
He said: “Available statistics have shown that the deployment of the open and distance learning approach, particularly in the tertiary education sub sector is the major link to achieving SGD 4 by the year 2030.
“This administration will continue promote the open and distance learning approach as one of the strategies to improving access to higher education.
“Government is therefore, committed, through the Federal Ministry of Education and National Universities Commission to provide the enabling environment to ensure a good delivery of this mode of education in Nigeria.”
Earlier, the Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Olufemi Peters, said the programme offerings of NOUN have increased from about 1,230 students in 2003, the student to about 170,000 active students in 2024.
The University, he noted, has become the institution of choice for bridging the gap between education and our diverse communities, adding that study centres nationwide increased from 17 in 2003 to over 120.
“The 13th Convocation ceremony further provides the institution an opportunity to celebrate the graduation of 22,175 students across undergraduate and postgraduate levels and diverse disciplines. Of these 15,768 achieved undergraduate qualification, while 6,407 eamed postgraduate qualifications.
“At the undergraduate level, a total of 22 graduated with a first-class; 1,885 with second class (upper division), 8,434 with second class (lower) division, 3786 with third class, and 169 with Pass degrees.
“Of the 6,407 students who graduated at the postgraduate levels, 2,362 students obtained the Postgraduate Diploma, 4,039 students, the Master degree and six students obtained the PhD degrees. I am also happy to announce that four of the doctoral graduates are from our flagship World Bank assisted Africa Centre for Excellence for Technology Enhanced Learning (ACETEL),” the academic said.
The Guardian reports that the event also witnessed the formal investiture of the institution’s new Chancellor, His Royal Majesty, Omo N’Oba N’Edo, Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare II, The Oba of the Benin Kingdom as well as the conferment of honorary doctorate degrees on Dr. Innocent Chukwuma (Honorary Doctor of Business Administration) and Hajia Hafsatu Ahmed (Honorary Doctor of Letters).
In his acceptance speech after his investiture, the Chancellor of the University and Oba of Benin, Omo N’ Oba N’ Edo, Uku Akpolokpolor, Ewuare II, called on the Federal Government to consider robust funding for the University and implored the government to be cautious of establishing universities with dual roles towards ensuring that standards are upheld.
The traditional ruler who promised to carry out his responsibility diligently, also appealed to the government to incorporate graduates from NOUN in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme by amending the Act that established the institution
“Together, we will embark on a journey of advancement and progress, guided by principles of integrity, scholarship, and service. I challenge us all to let us work tirelessly to uphold the values upon which this University was founded, and to chart a course towards an even brighter future,” Oba Ewuare II said.