NOUN matriculates over 28,000 new intakes

The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) on Friday matriculated a total of 28,514 new intakes for various courses and programmes.

The 26th matriculation ceremony which was held at the university’s headquarters in Abuja, had students enrolled across the university’s eight faculties for various programmes including doctoral studies.

In a press release issued on Thursday by the university and signed by the Director of Media and Publicity, Ibrahim Sheme, the university said 21,026 of the new intakes are for undergraduates programmes; 7,460 for postgraduates studies while the remaining 28 are for doctorate degrees

VC speaks

The university’s Vice-Chancellor, Olufemi Peters, a professor, said the institution is committed to providing accessible education through its open distance learning model.

“By this, you have today become members of our Open and Distance Learning (ODL) community of about 150,000 students in 120 study centres across the 36 states of Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.”

He encouraged the new students to be of good character and worthy ambassadors of the university.

The VC added: “I look forward to congratulating you at the completion of your studies when you will join other successful colleagues at convocation for the award of certificates and prizes, which is your reward and evidence of preparedness to surmount challenges of life beyond our walls, virtual and physical.

“This is also what our country, Nigeria, needs to rise and attain its place of greatness in the global and competitive world of today and the future.”

Relevance of ODL

Speaking on the relevance of Open and Distance Learning (ODL), Mr Peters said the life of learning will allow the students to learn at their choice of place and pace irrespective of their social or religious status and other engagements, such as a vocation or employment.

He added that the mode will require them to create the time and discipline for a copious amount of self-study. “It is quite different from a conventional university system where you must always attend lectures in a classroom or auditorium,” he added.

He assured the new intakes that they would have access to a number of facilities necessary for their study, including physical and e-library facilities which he noted provide over 40,000 titles of books and journals, facilitation rooms, science laboratories, halls for in-person and e-exams, and in some special centres, incubation facilities for entrepreneurship-minded students for their training and development at the study centres.

The vice chancellor said the university is Nigeria’s premier ODL university, established in 1983 and resuscitated in 2003 for full operations.

“It is an open university because, irrespective of race, gender, distance or creed, it gives you the flexibility of choice over what, when, where and at the pace you wish to study, among an array of available programmes,” he said.

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He added that for the university to facilitate and simplify the students’ learning experience, the institution must have a team of professional ODL administrators, facilitators, IT experts and especially counselors at the study centres for their consultation.

He therefore encouraged the students to find the time to consult these professionals for free advice on all matters relating to their studies, especially if they encounter challenges.