It was a joyous moment for the management of Mushin Study Centre of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) as one of the centre’s students,a physically challenged, graduated at the recent 12th Convocation Ceremony of the university.
Aileru Bukola Sekinat, who expressed her excitement in an interview with NOUN News correspondent in Lagos, had graduated with B.Ed Primary Education certificate.
Sekinat recalled the series of ups and downs that typified her life due to her disabilities but was able to overcome them and successfully finished her first degree programme.
"Even with my disability I was enrolled in a school, and my dad was a lecturer. However, I lost my parents and started begging for money to survive, I love to be educated and I wanted to change my present status and I don't want to beg again so I sought for sponsorship from Lagos Special Home to enroll into NOUN," she stated.
On his part, the director of the centre, Prof. Oluyemisi Ogunlela, described Sekinat as a determined student, and always ready to learn, stressing that she never allowed her predicament to slow down her academic pursuit from the inception of her journey.
Ogunlela added that “Bukola was an orphan with challenges in walking, speaking audibly and grasping things easily, sometimes she comes to school unaided. Despite all these, she always put in her best to attend her TMAs and exams.
”During the examinations, we ensure that our physically challenged students were fully positioned in the conducive room and always getting extra attention, she brings an assistant to write because of her inability to write."
Ogunlela added how assistance was rendered by the management of NOUN during a job opportunity in the Lagos State Government to employ physically challenged graduates.
"We need to help her not to miss the opportunity. We wrote to the registrar and got a positive response, and in the end, she was employed under probation and presently a Level 8 officer,” the director added.
She extended her gratitude to the NOUN management and the management of the Mushin Study Centre for her academic success and advised others with challenges to be determined in pursuit of best in life.
The Chief Councillor of the centre, Mrs. Abimbola Adedolapo- Alli also explained the counselor- student relationship with the ex-student during her practical course, saying that "I picked interest in her when she had a challenge in Business Plan GST 302 that was already closed a day before. I spoke with the director, Dr. Samuel Awolumate, who immediately called the main campus for assistance.”
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