The Faculty of Arts, National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), has held an in-house interactive forum which discussed practical experiences of the faculty’s senior staff to promote “productive academic wellness.”
The interactive forum took place on Monday, May 12, 2025 at the NOUN headquarters, Jabi, Abuja, where the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Technology, Innovation & Research, Prof. Godwin Akper, described an examination exercise as a way of affirming quality assurance and integrity.
“In examination you simply try to assess yourself as a lecturer and the learners to determine one thing, which are set goals and objectives of the course you taught as a lecturer.
“When you set questions all your questions come from your objectives. If at the end of the exercise you are not convinced that the outcome of the course cannot be achieved, then both the learner and the teacher have failed? So, what do we test in examination? We test the achievement of the learning outcome.
“ If the public rejects our graduates, it is not that the public is wicked or they hate us but we have to look inward to see what is the integrity of the courses…that is where assessment comes in during accreditation exercises,” he said.
While speaking, Emeritus Prof. Godwin Sogolo also disclosed that in an academic community, there is no master - servant relationship, whether one is an assistant lecturer or a professor.
He said academics have reformed the entire world “but practical realities do not always match the idea of academic life because we are all human.”
Sogolo opined that young academics, at the expense of their academic work, get distracted by administrative appointments, engagement, consultancy and social media.
He advised that “as an academic, create a balance between this world of ideas and the world of realities. You might be carried away and not be focused on your academic pursuit and as such these can distract your academic life.”
On her part, the SIWES Director and former Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Joy Eyisi, stated that to achieve research excellence in academic, a lecturer must be a researcher and also a publisher.
She said one’s research work makes little to no meaning if one do not publish it.
“As an academic, you do not publish, you perish or also you publish and still perish because what publishing does is to help share the new knowledge your research efforts has created to other people.
“While what promotion does is to recognise your research efforts, organise your publishing output as at when due,” Eyisi said.
She stated that academic staff should not take their works for granted “so that whoever is accessing your publication will know that you have worked.”
The Dean of the faculty, Prof. Gideon Omachonu, while sharing his own experiences, said Africans have been very poor when it comes to living healthy.
“Many are not mentally balanced even as you see them on the street. But it starts with an individual; if we take care of ourselves, we will be fit to do our work,” Omachonu said.
The dean then appreciated participants and also the discussants who honoured the invitation.
Head of NOUN Clinic, Dr. Hassan Mohammed, explained that mental aspect of health is crucial especially as the world is no longer industrial but technology driven.
He said “when people work and get nothing out of it, it adds to stress which sometimes affects work productivity.”
Mohammed noted that flexible work hours can ensure mental stability due to economic hardship.
He advised that people who find themselves in high pressure environment should make a systematic change or rather the work place should be changed.
“People who work in such places, who do not have the ability to change should improve in their ability to manage pressure so that they will be able to find their equilibrium,” Mohammed said.
At the end of the presentations, questions where asked by participants and answers were served effectively.
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