Fifty-eight inmates across the Correctional Centres nationwide are among the 28,740 graduates for the 12th Convocation Ceremony of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Olufemi Peters, has revealed.
Peters said this on Tuesday, March 21, 2023 during a press conference about the ceremony held at the university 's headquarters, Jabi, Abuja.
While giving the breakdown of the total figure, the Vice-Chancellor stated that 21,339 are undergraduates, 7,401 are postgraduate students and 58 inmates are billed to graduate, with seven of them as postgraduate students.
He also said that the university has produced six first class graduates in various disciplines in this year’s convocation.
While lauding Open and Distance Learning (ODL) mode, the VC said educating inmates while in correctional centres is part of the university's social responsibility as well as its contribution to the well-being of the society.
He said his administration will not relent in bringing education to the door steps of every Nigerian as NOUN has what it takes to deliver affordable and quality education to Nigerians.
The Vice-Chancellor added the university has made a giant stride in bringing its students closer with the launch of an e-ticketing platform where students can raise concerns and queries bordering on their studies with the university, and they are promptly answered.
He disclosed that the ceremony will be preceded by a convocation lecture on Friday, with the title "Volatility in Higher Education," to be delivered by the Vice-Chancellor of the University of South Africa (UNISA), Prof. Puleng LekaBula.
The choice of Prof. LenkaBula, Prof. Peters said, was drawn against the University of South Africa being one of the leading ODL institutions in Africa with about 150 years of experience, hence NOUN will be tapping from the wealth of knowledge of the university.
He said this year's convocation will be held simultaneously in all state capitals across the country as well as the headquarters in Abuja, where study centres of the Federal Capital Territory would be in attendance.
Peters also used the opportunity to inform the public that the university has been granted full accreditation by the National Universities Commission (NUC) in 28 out of the 30 courses subjected to the exercise.
He thanked the media for their continuous support and contributions to the growth of the university, saying that "we need to tell the world the essence of our establishment."
According to him, this year’s ceremony coincided with NOUN's 20th anniversary.
Consequent upon this, therefore, Peters said there will be a round-table discussion where the former Vice-Chancellors of NOUN, Emeritus Prof. Olugbemiro Jegede, Prof. Ado Vincent Tenebe, Prof. Abdalla Uba Adamu, among others, will discuss "Volatility and Opportunities in Higher Education."
It will be moderated by Prof. Francis Egbokhare from the University of Ibadan
Earlier, the Director, Media and Publicity, Malam Ibrahim Sheme welcomed the press and thanked them for their continued support in propagating the activities of NOUN to the public.
He said NOUN's doors will continue to remain open to them as they build a better education system for all.
In his vote of thanks, the Registrar of the university, Oladipo Ajayi, said NOUN will continue to maintain a cordial relationship with the press as they are also flag bearers of the university.
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