By Emmanuel Afonne
The Vice-Chancellor, National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Prof. Olufemi Peters, has enjoined the new students of the institution to strive to elevate Nigeria to its deserved place of greatness in Africa and the world.
Peters said this on Tuesday, at the 24th matriculation of the university, which took place virtually across its various study centres nationwide.
“As you pass through our university, I am hopeful that you will acquire the appropriate knowledge and skills, as well as the requisite strength of character and tenacity, to sail through the challenges of global competition,” he said.
Peters said knowledge and skills were the weapons needed to make positive mark to elevate the country to its deserved place of greatness in Africa and the world.
The vice-chancellor also urged the new students to utilise the opportunities offered by the flexibility and openness of their study in NOUN to excel more than their peers elsewhere.
“For those that are engaged in a vocation and or employment, it is an opportunity to excel in your career.
“It is also an opportunity to demonstrate the efficacy of continuous education through open and distance learning, in adding value to your competence at work, to the delight of employers,” Peters said.
The new entrants, comprising of 12, 954 undergraduates, 4, 716 postgraduates and four Ph.D students in various faculties, would join an already existing population of over 150,000 students studying for various degrees in the university.
“The uniqueness of the university should evoke special interests in the students especially from people who are eager to know how qualitative academic training is in the university.
“I enjoin you, therefore, to be dedicated to your studies and be good ambassadors of this university,” he said.
Speaking on the marked attributes of NOUN, Peters said the university’s mode of teaching and service delivery cannot be restricted by the barriers of distance, location, or the bias of race and creed.
He said: “I am particularly glad to inform you that your university is privileged to operate in sync with the emerging world order of a global village in the information age.
“NOUN takes the ‘Gown to the Town’ dictum by providing equal access to quality education for all citizens, irrespective of their social circumstances, their creed, and wherever they are located.”
He advised the new entrants to form peer groups where common issues relating to their study can be shared and discussed.
Peters added that the university had provided an e-ticketing feedback system to resolve complaints encountered during the course of their studies.
He also said that other delivery applications, including the simplified assessment processes (tutorials, tests and examinations) would make study at NOUN a most rewarding educational experience for the students.
The Registrar of the university, Mr Oladipo Ajayi, administered the matriculation oath on the students via the Zoom platform.
Ajayi urged them to abide by all the rules and regulations of the university in order to avoid expulsion.
(NAN)
