By Emmanuel Afonne
ABUJA — The Vice Chancellor, National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Prof. Olufemi Peters, has urged new students of the university to be studious, have thirst for knowledge and the limits of ideas during their academic journey with the institution.
Peters made the call during the 20th Matriculation Ceremony for the students which took place virtually on Saturday across the 103 study centres in the country.
A statement issued by Mr. Ibrahim Sheme, Director, Media and Publicity, NOUN, quoted Peters as also urging the students to be expository and courageous.
“I want you to know you are now our ambassadors, and I wish to request you to be of good character, befitting of your new status as students of NOUN.
“As positive ambassadors, we expect you to draw friends, associates, relatives and the society at large to NOUN Community of learning, as you represent the old adage of taking the gown to the town.”
He also promised the students that as members of the NOUN community, they would be given excellent opportunities to learn in an atmosphere of mutual respect, justice and quality service delivery.
“It will be required of you to adapt to a new mode of learning that is mostly remote and technology driven, flexible, but challenging.
“Your welfare and satisfaction is paramount to us. Therefore, our study centres are being renovated and modified for effective and ever-improving service delivery.
“Our curriculum, course materials development, information request, service delivery and examination administration processes are continuously reviewed to advance your learning experience.
“Our e-library facilities are replicated in all study centres.
“As we strive for perfection in the deployment of cutting-edge technologies for your learning and other service deliveries, the process may encounter challenges, some of these will be related to the state of infrastructure in this part of the world.”
The VC also stated that NOUN was determined to make learning rewarding and satisfactory.
He said that the learning content and service delivery facilities were being upgraded continuously with the state-of-the-art methodologies and innovations in the use of information and communication.
According to Peters, NOUN operates in a worldwide community of Open and Distance Learning (ODL), plays a significant roles in several international ODL bodies through affiliations.
These affiliations, he said, included African Council on Distance Education (ACDE), International Council on Distance Education (ICDE), Commonwealth of Learning (COL), among others.
Peters further urged the students to be resolute and seek assistance promptly when challenges arose.
The Registrar of the institution, Mr Felix Edoka, administered the matriculation oath to the students.
The 20th matriculation, the first performed by the VC since his assumption of office on Feb. 11, had some 17,804 students, with 11,983 for undergraduate and 5,821 for postgraduate studies. (NAN)
