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Tag: Abdalla Adamu

  • NOUN matriculates 17,000 students for 2019 Academic Session

    The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), on Saturday matriculated no fewer than 17,000 new students for the 2019 Academic Session.

    The Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof. Abdalla Adamu, disclosed this during the matriculation ceremony at the institution’s headquarters in Abuja.

    Adamu who was represented by the Center Director, National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) Special Study Center, Prof. Ibikunle Tijani, urged the students to conduct themselves properly throughout their studies.

    He said the exercise was part of the 18th matriculation ceremony which took place at the 78 study centres of NOUN across the country.

    “NOUN is not a regular university, as a result, desist from all the anomalies, like cultism, sexual harassment by lecturers that exist in conventional universities.

    “I want to meet you in the next four years, during your graduation, full of knowledge and ready to take on the world as a result of your studentship in NOUN.

    “We have established a Directorate of Learning Content Management System charged with bridging the Gap between you and your lecturers wherever they may be.

    “Initially what was missing is negotiation, we have made contact and with the amended act, negotiation with NYSC and Council on Legal Education will start soon,’’ he said.

    Read Also: Enrolment at NOUN hits 515,000

    He explained that since the last matriculation in 2018, the institution had put in place, a number of adequate measures that will ease learning in NOUN.

    Adamu equally said that the institution had strengthened the students entrepreneurship training aimed at empowering students’ creativity and capabilities.

    Speaking on behalf of other matriculated students, Miss Sintiki Mathey of Political Science Department, promised that they would work hard and obey the rules of the institution throughout their studies.

    NAN

     

  • Enrolment at NOUN hits 515,000

    No fewer than 515,000 students are currently enrolled to pursue different courses at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Abdalla Adamu, has said.

    Adamu said this on Monday during the first vice chancellor’s retreat for principal officers, deans and directors of NOUN in Enugu.

    He, however, said that of the figure, only 150,000 students are active across the 78 study centres of the institution.

    The vice chancellor described NOUN as a one-stop solution to open and distance learning in Africa.

    He said that the institution had spent the last 15 years developing its programmes, adding that the institution has the largest open and distance learning university on the continent.

    Adamu said that no fewer than five countries in Africa— Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Sudan, Mozambique and Malawi—were understudying NOUN.

    “Our centre is now a reference point and the most successful.

    “ We are dealing with African realities and problems and other countries are sending their people to know how we run the programme.

    Read Also: Will social commerce ever overthrow eCommerce?

    “Recently, we gave out about 1,700-course materials to Zimbabwe on request and others are also consulting us. This retreat is introspective and aims at self and institutional improvement.

    “We are going to look into our areas of strength, weaknesses, opportunities and threats as custodians of open and distance learning in Nigeria.

    “The aim is to take from the positives of our achievements and document them for posterity in form of annual report,” he said.

    The vice chancellor said that NOUN over the last 33 months had focused attention on system reform.

    “ We are going to interrogate our efforts so far and see how well they have fared.

    “In spite of our strategic importance, we must not forget the number one stakeholders in the NOUN project– students.

    “Thus, how to deliver to them a life-enhancing learning experience in line with our university’s vision and mission must guide our actions and thoughts, both here and elsewhere,” Adamu said.

    Earlier in an address of welcome, the Director of Enugu Study Centre of the institution, Prof. Alexander Onyia, said the university had made progress in delivering qualitative education.

    Onyia attributed the successes recorded by the institution to the foresight of its founding fathers, devotion of the leadership as well as cooperation of the students and other stakeholders.

  • Anambra prison inmate enrolls for Master’s degree in Open University

    An inmate in Amawbia prisons, Anambra State on Monday formally enrolled into the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) for a Master Degree programme on Information Technology.

    The 39-year old man, Jude Onwuzulike, a father of four, was inducted at the 7th matriculation ceremony of the institution held at the prison premises.

    Speaking to newsmen shortly after occasion, the excited matriculant said he had earlier obtained his first degree and Post Graduate Diploma from the Nnamdi Azikiwe University and University of Nigeria, respectively.

    “My first degree was in was in Accounting in 2005, while the second was in Mathematics. When I came here, I did a Post Graduate Diploma in Information Technology and now Masters in the same discipline,” he said.

    He said he had to deviate from his first degree course of study as a result of what he described as unsatisfactory manner the case that led to his imprisonment was investigated, particularly that of the SSS.

    “I noticed some lapses in the way the case that brought me here was investigated which someone needs to correct. So this course I’m doing will assist me carry out an indept investigation if I’m opportuned to handle similar cases,” he said.

    Describing the prison as relatively unconducive for learning, Onwuzulike who was sentenced to life imprisonment, said it would only take someone who remained focused in life to maximize the opportunity.

    “Here you see all kinds of people, the uneducated, those who lack parental upbringing and those who were brought up in the moto park.

    “As you are reading, they will be distracting you, including asking you to switch off the lights for them to sleep,” he added.

    Speaking earlier, the representative of the Vice chancellor, Prof. Abdalla Adamu, Dr. Scholastica Ezeribe, expressed delight at the inmate’s enthusiasm towards academics.

    Read Also: Two Kirikiri inmates studying for PhD

    She said the ceremony took place on the 23rd June, but added that management of the institution had to fix a special day for the inmates in view of the peculiarity of the environment they found themselves.

    Ezeribe urged other inmates to cash into the free opportunity provided by the government to better their lots ahead of when they would regain freedom.

    “The VC is so passionate about the program that he graciously offered it to the inmates free of charge in order to encourage them and to give them hope,” she added.

    On his part, the Superintendent in charge of Awka Prison, DSP Ezenam Andrew, said the programme was one of the reformative packages of the service to make the inmates useful and productive so as not to be threats to the society after their stay in the prison.

  • Obasanjo successfully completes PhD programme at NOUN

    Obasanjo successfully completes PhD programme at NOUN

    Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, is among 14, 771 persons expected to receive honours at the 7th convocation of National Open University of Nigeria ( NOUN ), Prof. Abdalla Adamu, NOUN’s Vice-Chancellor, has said.

    The former president is expected to receive a doctorate in Christian Theology, Adamu said at a news briefing on the institution’s 2018 convocation scheduled for Jan. 20 at its s headquarters in Jabi, Abuja.

    He said Obasanjo would be considered for an appointment as a facilitator or supervisor as PhD was the least qualification for one to teach in the institution.

    The vice-chancellor said 14,771 was the highest number any institution in Nigeria had ever graduated at a convocation ceremony.

    He said in spite of being a former president, Obasanjo conducted himself properly and deservedly bagged Doctor of Philosophy in Christian Theology.

    “One of the graduands is the first PhD graduate the institution will produce; a university must graduate students at academic Masters Level before graduating PhD.

    “Only one candidate has been able to do that and that is Obasanjo; the Senate has found him worthy of the award and approved the conferment of PhD on him.

    Read also: Obasanjo, seven governors and Buhari’s second term

    “There are lessons to be learnt from Obasanjo’s feat – one is never too old to learn; Obasanjo was about 80 years when he started the programme and has finished it at 82.

    “Again, one is never too powerful to learn; he was the president twice and yet subjected himself to learning; learning is a humbling process.

    “We will consider him for the post of a facilitator or supervisor; maybe for our Abeokuta Study Centre; we will suggest it to him.’’

    Adamu said that because of Obasanjo’s achievement, NOUN had received requests from other older citizens.

    He said the institution was able to graduate such a huge number of students because it had created its own internal data management which was previously handled by external vendors.

    The vice-chancellor said students who were hitherto not cleared by the external vendors had been cleared.

    He said that NOUN’s Business School would soon take off and would run nine professional programmes.

    Adamu said the institution had created Centre for Entrepreneurship Studies which would generate employment opportunities for the graduates.

    According to him, NOUN has opened linkages with foreign universities in order to broaden its scope.

    “Sussex University in the UK has reached out to us-to be its hub in Nigeria; Open University of UK, University of South Africa among other are partnering with us.

    “We are expanding to create Diaspora study centres in Niger Republic, Burkina Faso, Liberia, Gambia, Senegal, among others.

    “These are still subject to approval from the National Universities Commission, the Federal Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,’’ he said.

    On the standoff between NOUN and the Council for Legal Education over the status of Law graduates, he said that the Senate had passed the NOUN Act Amendment Bill.

    He said once both chambers harmonise the bill, it would be sent for presidential assent.

    Adamu said once the amendment was signed into law, all controversies surrounding the Law programme as well that concerning the National Youth Service Corps would be resolved.

    NAN

  • ICRC okays NOUN ’s N150m multi-functional center deal

    ICRC okays NOUN ’s N150m multi-functional center deal

    The Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission ( ICRC ) has approved the National Open University ( NOUN ) proposal to build and operate a N150 million multi-functional center using the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model.

    The acting Director-General of ICRC, Mr Chidi Izuwah made this known on Sunday in Abuja as he officially handed over an Outline Business Certificate, which gave NOUN the go ahead to look for private investors.

    Izuwah also urged Federal Government universities to embrace PPP as the solution to bridging infrastructure deficit in the education sector.

    “One of the biggest problems universities have is student accommodation and the best way to provide student accommodation around the world is to partner with the private sector.

    “We are working with a committee of Vice Chancellors to develop a framework to allow them partner with the private sector in this regard.

    “When you go to many universities and you see where our future leaders stay it will make you very sad.

    “So we want to bring in the private sector to provide affordable housing for our students and recover their money over a period of time,” he said.

    Izuwah said also that PPP arrangements would improve the education system and improve the future of Nigerians.

    Meanwhile, the Vice-Chancellor of NOUN, Prof. Abdalla Adamu said that the proposed multi-functional center, would be situated at the University’s Headquarters.

    He said it would comprise food courts, ICT centers, supermarkets, banking services among others.

    “The cost estimate of the projects is about N150 million. We are looking at a situation where a private investor will build the complex, operate for a couple of years and then transfer it to the university.

    “At the end of the day, it’s a win win for both parties,” he said.

    NAN