16th Matriculation ceremonies record resounding success - VC lists own giant strides

 

The cardinal objective for the establishment of an Open and Distance Learning institution is basically to provide access to higher education for mass qualified candidates who are desirous of equipping themselves with quality education in order to uplift their standard of living and make themselves useful, not only to their immediate society but also to the world at large, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Abdalla UbaAdamu, has said.

He  disclosed  this  during  the  16"'   Matriculation ceremonies of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), held simultaneously across the 77 study centres in the country, as part of the necessary requirement in the admission process of students.

The ceremony was colourful, successful and hitch-free. As early as 7 a.m., students, their relatives and friends in their hundreds started arriving at the various study centres across the country. Statistically, Makurdi study centre matriculated over I 00 students, Minna more than 480 students, Kaduna about 390  students,  Ilorin  more than 100 students, Mushin, Lagos more   than   2,000 students to mention but a few . study    centres.  For   the stUdents it was an exciting experience, as their dreams and    aspirations   were translated into reality.

Emphasising the very important role of education to human development, the VC remarked : "The light which education gives is like a lantern on the table which shines,   dispelling   the dark kingdom  of  ignorance,  thus making    NOUN a unique university well prepared  to contribute to the global human and technological development through a viable and functional education" . This objective, therefore, remains paramount and sacrosanct, he stressed.

He reiterated the university's commitment to continue to put in place all facilities that would aid the attainment of academic excellence, and in the same token to enslire that the institution's systems and operations are constantly being reviewed and updated to be at par with the best standards and practices globally.

Equally, Adamu chronicled some of the giant strides his administration had recorded as a new VC, with regard to change of academic nomenclature from School and Unit to Faculty and Department system, university's Virtual Library, available in all the study centres, and the relocation of NOUN to its permanent site in Jabi, Ahuja, amongst others. The site can be described as a showpiece of architectural and aesthetic dream translated to reality,  where academic and administrative operations are being reviewed and streamlined for greater efficiency.

"As an ODL university, ICT will be maximally explored in all our academic operations in order to meet all our learning needs as well as to give our products tlle competitive   edge  in ' market  place,  and  for self-realisation", he noted.

He added: "The university, under my watch, has adopted a  key  slogan,  which  is,  from  Noun  to  Verb,  NOUN Reloaded. The focus here is on the word, VERB, which stands for Vibrant, Energetic, Re-armed and Ballistic. In simple  expression and meaning,  the university  is increasing the momentum in the pursuit of its objective. " To this end, I enjoin you to key into this slogan and join hands with me and other stakeholders  in order to take the university beyond the next level".

He admonished the students  to abide by the rules and regulations of the university; to be diligent in their studies; to conduct themselves at all times, to  be above reproach and, above all, to let the university  find them worthy  in learning and character at the end of their study. He emphasized that students should see themselves as torchbearers  of NOUN,  the standard  by which  the institution would be judged by others.

According to him, the university  is working  in concert with other Open and Distance Learning (ODL) institutions not just  in Africa  but  also  across  the  world,  as ·NOUN shares  the compelling  vision  of  the "African university shaping futures in the service of humanity". On this note, he welcomed the participants and declared the event open.

In a related development,  the new Acting Director of Examination  & Assessment,  Professor, Godwin I. Akper, affirmed  the institution's  readiness  for prompt  release of exam results and to avoid missing results, students should be consistent  in their names and ensure they write correct matriculation  number, adding that NOUN study materials are qualitative, to the extent where other universities  have domesticated it.

The ceremony was crowned with scenes of students gaily engaging themselves in taking different snapshots.

Story by Mba Ude Ude
Source: NOUN News Magazine Vol. 26 No. 5 June 2017