NOUN secures NUC’s approval to mount film production degree
The National Universities Commission (NUC) has approved the commencement of Bsc film production programme in the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN).
Speaking on the feat, the Vice-Chancellor said the “National Universities Commission (NUC) has granted approval in principal for National Open University of Nigeria to mount a programme in Bsc Film Production from 2018 subject resource verification and other technicalities.”
The information arrived minutes before the Vice-Chancellor hosted in his of ce, the Motion Pictures Practitioners Association of Nigeria (MOPPAN), led by its president, Abdullahi Maikano Usman on a courtesy visit.
He said the university, which is going to be the first Open and Distance Learning (ODL) institution to offer the programme in West Africa, initiated the process by applying to the university commission.
Prof Adamu said with the approval, the programme would commence in two years time, as the university will soon begin to put the necessary modalities in place for the takeoff of the programme. “The B-MAS – Benchmark Minimum Academic Standard,”
he said, “was developed by NOUN and it was taken to NUC and they will now criticise it. They will hold a critique meeting of experts both from the academic circle as well as from film industry to look at it and produce a final draft from it before they present it to NUC management for approval.
“If NUC management approves it, it will inform the university and the university will have to start making all sorts of arrangements in order to start mounting it, hopely from 2018.”
Explaining further the milestone in his office, Prof Adamu said “We are very excited about it because it will provide opportunities for thousands of people who want to go into the film industry and also those in both Nollywood and Kannywood who are in the industry but lack formal qualification.
“It will also be an opportunity for those who would want to acquire a degree but they could not because of the nature of their job; they have to go to location and things like that. So this is an opportunity for them to acquire a degree in proper film production.”
He urged the prospective applicants to strive and meet the requirements set by the university commission, saying that “we emphasize that we have to follow the NUC requirements strictly. One of them is mathematics and literature. For those who would wish to do the programme must have credit in mathematics and English language. For those who don’t have this qualification and are interested are advised to start thinking of going and correcting their schools in mathematics and English.
“The university is very excited because this is one of those programmes where a person is studying and is implementing what he is studying; you are a filmmaker and you are studying film making and you are implementing it.
“This is one of the very few disciplines where we matched study and work, because what you are studying is practical. It is a practical-oriented course.
This is for the practitioners, those who are already in the industry. So they are studying it now theoretically and at the same time they are seeing it in practice,” he said.
While turning to the visitors, the Vice-Chancellor said MOPAN president, as a representative of the professional body, would be made part of the 4-member panel to critique the proposed curriculum as requested by the NUC.
And in what appeared to be an unusual, but rare coincidence, the president of MOPAN, Abdullahi Maikano Usman, had earlier in his speech requested the NOUN VC to come up with film related courses for members of the association to enroll.
The president said part of the reasons for their courtesy visit was to solicit for the initiation of film making courses in NOUN as part of their resolve to improve capacity and qualifications of their members. Mr Usman, who described the Vice-Chancellor as the father and mentor of the association, said the practitioners have now seen the light in the VC’s longterm stance regarding the development of the profession.
He intimated Prof Adamu of the challenge of piracy, which has assumed a global concern as it also aided terrorists’ transfer of money.
He thanked the Vice-Chancellor of his numerous supports to association and promised to seize the opportunity the university is championing for the film producers in Nigeria.
Source: https://schoolnewsngr.com.ng/2017/10/09/noun-secures-nucs-approval-mount-film-production-degree/
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