The Women Affairs, Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Abuja, has sought for the partnership of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) towards establishing an alternative high school for young girls and women that could not access advance education in tertiary institutions.
Mandate Secretary for the new FCTA Women Affairs Secretariat, Mrs. Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi, who led a 10-man delegation on a courtesy visit to the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Olufemi Peters, stated this on Tuesday, February 13, 2024 at the university headquarters in Abuja.
Benjamins-Laniyi, who appreciated the work of the VC and his management team, said the partnership has become so imperative as her secretariat engages on strategic intervention of persons with disability and communities that are vulnerable within the FCT.
“In line with the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria foundation, Her Excellency, Hon. Oluremi Tinubu’s, Renewed Hope Initiative, my secretariat is committed to improving the lives of women by renewing their hope in this new administration. We deemed NOUN fit for the partnership because of its uniqueness and its curriculum which we know will fit perfectly to our programme,” she said.
According to the mandate secretary, “we have gone on inspection tour and realised (that) we have like seven different facilities that we can provide for NOUN for women who can delve into the kind of environment where your tutelage can extend to.
“We are not saying give free education without papers or proper certification, but intervention through your own space.”
Earlier, The Director, Education Department of the mandate secretariat, Dr. Mosunmola Jemilat Abdulwaheed, stated that partnering with NOUN in line with its curriculum, will help the secretariat key-in to mandate secretary’s passion to take all girls out of illiteracy as well as improve and expand the capacity of women.
“Our focus is on girls and women not that we are neglecting the male gender. Our basic focus is on all these homes, matured women who have finished secondary schools but they don’t know where to go or who to help them out,”she said.
Responding, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Olufemi Peters, said NOUN remains open to cooperation and partnerships with any organisation which would seek improvement in education.
“Having listened to the thrust of your visit, this fits to the broadened mandate of NOUN with the capacity of bringing people otherwise would have been excluded to skills acquisition or education.
“For us, it’s very good that through the instrumentality of the first lady’s initiative foundation, the mandate secretary has thought it wise to link up with us. We don’t have much hindrances or encumbrances whether to partake in public project like this,” he said.
peters further implored the delegation to provide the university with the areas they think might be useful and bring out the areas they will want to delve into partnership with NOUN.
“We are open to suggestions and if they can come as quickly as possible through the office of Advancement and Linkages, the university will be quite glad to look at it and set the ball rolling,”the VC added.
In his vote of thanks, the Registrar, Mr. Oladipo Ajayi, while appreciating the delegation for the visit, said it’s an honour that the secretariat deemed it fit to partner with NOUN.
Ajayi assured them that NOUN is the right place for the realisation of the passion and vision of the mandate secretary and her principal.
Present at the visit were the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academics, Prof. Chiedu Mafiana, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Administration, Prof. Isaac Butswat, Deputy Vice-Chancellor,Technology, Innovation & Research, Prof. Godwin Akper, Director, Advancement and Linkages, Mrs. Omorogieva E. Ileka, Deputy Registrar, Vice-Chancellor’s Office, Mr. Femi Oyedipe, Special Assistant to the Vice-Chancellor, Mr. Adebiyi Adewoyin, among other staff.
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