The federal government has
endorsed the e-Learning
programme of the National
Open University of Nigeria
(NOUN), assuring parents,
students and prospective applicants that there was
nothing to fear.
The federal government
described e-Learning as “one
of the avenues that the National
Universities Commission (NUC) is exploring to increase access to
university education without
compromising quality.” In a press release yesterday,
NOUN’s Director of Media and
Publicity, Malam Ibrahim
Sheme, said this was a
confirmation of the often
repeated stance of the Vice- chancellor, Prof. Abdalla Uba
Adamu, that NOUN is an Open
and Distant Learning (ODL)
institution “rather than a
study-by-correspondence
institution as some people erroneously think.”
The federal government’s
endorsement was
communicated to NOUN in a
statement issued by the
National Universities Commission (NUC), which
showed that three other
universities running a similar
programme also benefited from
the approval.
They are University of Uyo, Usmanu Danfodiyo University,
Sokoto, and University of
Maiduguri. NUC, in a statement signed by
its Director of Information and
Public Relations, Alhaji Ibrahim
Usman Yakasai, had stated that
“whereas the commission
maintains its stand that online degrees are not accepted at the
moment in Nigeria, this does
not include the approved
Nigerian universities’ e-
Learning programme run within
the shores of Nigeria.” Explaining its endorsement of e-
Learning programmes run by
approved universities in
Nigeria, the commission said:
“The Nigerian universities e-
Learning programme is a legitimate and well thought out
pilot e-learning initiative.
“It is a Public Private
Partnership (PPP) between the
National Universities
Commission (NUC), Park Associates E-Learning Group and
four federal universities.”
NUC explains that the goal of the
initiative is to broaden access to
university education for
Nigerians. “The commission wishes to use
this medium to allay all fears
and doubts concerning the
legitimacy or NUC endorsement
of the Nigerian universities’ e-
Learning Programme,” the statement added.
He assured that students
undergoing the programme
were “advised to continue to
pursue their studies without
fear, while applicants are encouraged to enroll. Those still
in doubt, could contact the
Commission for further
clarification.”