Vice-Chancellor, National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Prof. Olufemi Peters, has challenged new students of the university to be studious, crave for knowledge and be good ambassadors of the school.
Prof. Peters who gave the charge at the NOUN’s 20th matriculation ceremony which took place virtually across the 103 study centres across country, on Saturday, urged the new students to be expository, courageous and be prepared at all times.
The 20th matriculation, which is the first performed by the Vice-Chancellor since his assumption of office on 11th February, 2021, had 17,804 students, out of which 11,983 students are for undergraduates while 5,821 candidates are for postgraduates.
He said: “I want you to know you are now our ambassadors. I 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 assured the matriculating students that, as members of the NOUN community, they will 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 ICT capabilities and competencies shall be put to test. Your ability for self-motivation and learning is critical to success, nevertheless, you will be expected to emerge from process, with impeccable character, refined by modern learning capabilities and skills meet for a new and emerging digital world of varied challenges,” he added.
The VC also stated that NOUN is determined to make learning rewarding and satisfactory, as the learning content and service delivery facilities are being upgraded continuously with the state- of -the art methodologies and innovations in the use of information and communication.
“Your welfare and satisfaction is paramount to us, hence the ongoing renovation and modification of our study centres 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 also replicated in all study centres,” he said.
The VC, thus, informed the students that NOUN operates in a worldwide community of Open and Distance Learning (ODL), and it plays significant role in several international ODL bodies through affiliations, linkages and collaborations which include African Council on Distance Education (ACDE), International Council on Distance Education (ICDE), Commonwealth of Learning (COL), among others.
The Registrar of the university, Mr. Felix Edoka, administered the matriculation oath on the students.
