nd 0795-3089 22 January, 2018 Vol. 13 No. 4 PMB Charges NUC on Periodic Curriculum Review — As NOUN Graduates 14,769 h e P r e s i d e n t a n d commander in Chief of Tthe Armed Forces and the Visitor to the National Open University of Nigeria, NOUN President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, has charged the National Universities Commission (NUC), to continue to ensure the periodic review of University Curriculum to meet national needs and be relevant to global demands. In the Visitor’s address read on his behalf by the Executive Secretary NUC, at the 7th Former President, His Excellency, Dr. Olusegun Obasanjo and Executive Secretary, NUC, Prof. Abubakar A. Rasheed mni, MFR, FNAL convocation ceremony of the National Open University of Curriculum to meet national universities to continue to Nigeria (NOUN) held on needs and be relevant to global embark on strategic capacity Saturday. President Buhari said demands’’. building to bring academics up- that as a result of the centrality of to-date with new trends in their the curriculum in the delivery of He said that universities needed to respective subject areas in order quality university education, ‘‘I be innovative in their programme to achieve the desired impact.” have charged the National offering and in their approach to Universities Commission to curriculum development and The Visitor also said that his continue to ensure the periodic delivery, advising that “it is administration through the review of Nigerian university therefore instructive for Nigerian N a t i o n a l U n i v e r s i t i e s in this edition We’ll Engage Executive for Full Budget Releases to NUC, Education PASET holds Ministerial Meeting Fountain University Graduates 287 on Higher Education and Skills at 7th Convocation — House Committee Pg. 7 Development Pg. 10 Pg. 13 22nd January, 2018 Vol. 13 No. 4 Mr. President maintained that his administration would continue to encourage Nigerian universities to build very strong internal quality assurance mechanisms, stressing that when this becomes a culture within the system it would guarantee quality attainment, maintenance and improvement. He stated that, his government believed that NOUN should Rep. of the Visitor, Prof. Abubakar A. Rasheed strengthen its learner support delivering the Visitor’s speech services in order to make its Commission was committed to no nation had undergone mode of delivery efficient and ensuring that every facet of appreciable socio-economic effective; thus ensuring that university education including development as envisaged by the s t u d e n t s w e r e n o t the Open and Distance Education present administration under its disenfranchised by subscribing was given due priority to provide c h a n g e a g e n d a w i t h o u t to the programmes of the quality university education to remarkable transformation in its university. “In the light of this, Nigerians, adding that Nigeria education system. “Education government will continue to was one of the nations of the will, therefore, remain a high accord the graduates of NOUN world that had produced its p r i o r i t y i t e m i n t h e and those of other Distance policy for the Open Education administration’s agenda in the Learning institutions in Nigeria, Resource (OER). drive to avail Nigerians of full due recognition to buttress the access to educational services that fact that they are not inferior to The President said he was aware w o u l d g u a r a n t e e t h e m t h o s e o f c o n v e n t i o n a l that NUC was developing the competitive opportunities and universities” he assured. Q u a l i t y A s s u r a n c e a n d advantages to effectively drive Accreditation Protocols and the economy,” he stressed. He emphasised that “there shall instruments for Open and Distance Learning delivery systems in Nigeria based on global best practices. “Our desire is to have a Nigerian University System, irrespective of the mode of delivery that will deliver on our national needs and aspirations, and also be strategically positioned to compete internationally,” he said. President Buhari reiterated that Dr. Olusegun Obasanjo, who graduated with a PhD in Christian Theology, delivering a speech Page 2 MONDAY BULLETIN A Publication of The Office of The Executive Secretary 22nd January, 2018 Vol. 13 No. 4 be no discrimination in terms of employability and opportunity for graduates of Open and Distance Learning programmes to pursue higher degrees either in conventional universities or the ODL setting.” He noted that in line with global best practices, one of the reasons for the establishment of the National Open University of Nigeria was to reduce to the b a r e s t m i n i m u m i f n o t completely eradicate the Chancellor challenge of access to Nigerian HRH Igwe, Ambassador (Dr.) Lawrence Okolo Chikezie Agubuzu, OON Universities. Nigeria, for his belief in the Open University of Nigeria and opportunity the ODL provides, indeed Nigerians will continue to H e o b s e r v e d t h a t s i n c e because of his quest for quality a p p r e c i a t e y o u r b e l i e f , establishment, NOUN had been education, could have opted to recognition and support for the able to absorb qualified fulfill his desire for university Open and Distance Education in university candidates who would education in any of the Ivy League Nigeria. “We are very proud of have been denied admission into universities of the world and none you.” Nigerian Universities for lack of of them could have denied him space. this opportunity. Rather than seek He congratulated the Chancellor, higher education outside the t h e P r o - C h a n c e l l o r, t h e According to the Visitor, the shores of Nigeria, President Governing Council, the Vice- former President of the Federal Obasanjo enrolled in the Chancellor, the Senate, staff, Republic of Nigeria, Chief programme of the National Open students and parents for this great Olusegun Obansanjo GCFR, University of Nigeria and today achievement and singled out the whom I refer to as the “Father of he is a proud Doctorate graduate g r a d u a t i n g s t u d e n t s f o r Open and Distance Education in of the university. The National commendation for seizing the unique opportunity which N O U N o ff e r e d t o a v a i l themselves of university education, particularly the former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obansanjo GCFR. He also congratulated the graduating students on this outstanding occasion, describing them as the potential experts, future leaders and next- generation-solution providers in various sectors of our national Vice Chancellor Professor Abdalla Uba Adamu, delivering his convocation speech Page 3 MONDAY BULLETIN A Publication of The Office of The Executive Secretary 22nd January, 2018 Vol. 13 No. 4 life. Chancellor of the university, HRH Igwe, Ambassador (Dr.) Lawrence Okolo Chikezie Agubuzu, OON in his address o b s e r v e d t h a t t o d a y ’ s convocation was very special for number of reasons, including parading the highest number of graduants and the first PhD graduate in the person of former President, Olusegun Obasanjo who graduated with a doctorate degree in Christian Theology. Bayelsa State Governor, His Excellency, Serieki Dickson H e t h a n k e d P r e s i d e n t delivering his goodwill message Muhammadu Buhari for his the person of His Excellency of NOUN Business School; exceptional support to the Olusegun Obasanjo former creation of new Center for university and enjoined the president and former head of state Entrepreneurship and General federal government to intervene of Nigeria who at this stage Studies and establishing of in the lingering crises and becomes the oldest PhD M i c r o s o f t C e r t i f i c a t i o n misunderstanding existing graduating student in Nigeria. He Examination and IT training between NOUN and the Council achieved this by successful Centers. of Legal Education as well as the completion of a rigorous course of National Youth Service Corps study and going through the Others, he said, were sustaining (NYSC). examination processes leading to Linkages and Partnerships with PhD in Christian Theology and its both local and international Vice Chancellor, Professor conferment by the University education institutions, positive Abdalla Uba Adamu in his Senate thereby making a powerful r e s o u r c e v e r i f i c a t i o n o f address explained that today statement about lifelong additional programmes at both marked the 7th successful education. undergraduate and postgraduate graduation ceremony of the levels by the NUC. students of the university in Professor Abdalla Uba Adamu various disciplines. A total of 14, g a v e a n a c c o u n t o f h i s In infrastructural Development, 769 students across the stewardship over the last one year, the Vice Chancellor said, the disciplines, the largest number saying the university had university had benefitted from the of students so far graduated by recorded significant milestones in TETfund intervention and the the university.