As Nigeria works to attain the Category II of the International Media and Information Literacy Institute (IMILI), Abuja, a team of the United Nations Education Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has presented its assessment report following an intense 3-day exercise.
While presenting its preliminary report, which it tagged “positive” to the Vice-Chancellor of the host institution, the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Prof. Olufemi Peters on Wednesday, January 22, 2025, the UNESCO delegation gave nod to the preparation of the university for the take-off of the institute.
Leader of the 2-man assessment team and Project Manager of the Data-Pop Alliance, engaged by UNESCO to independently conduct the assessment/verification exercise, Mr. Nelson Papi Kolliesuah, said in his exit report that “It is positive for us though there are still some areas to improve on.
“The journey has been one of the most successful one since we have been embarking on this kind of research; one of the best. The best reception and everything has been outstanding for me.”
Kolliesuah explained that it is a preliminary result and not a final one, stressing that they nonetheless believe that if there might be some slight changes it’s not going to be a major one, “because for the past days of assessment the team has collected more than enough data.”
Sharing the overall assessment result, the leader of the team said it has been positive despite the need for improvements in few areas, adding that “for the specific areas UNESCO is interested in, it was quite good.”
The three core areas of interest to UNESCO, Kolliesuah said, are “the programme component, governance and sustainability and so far, the institute (NOUN-IMILI) has been in conformity with UNESCO’s requirements as well as its scope of operation regarding the programme component with a proven track record through its research and capacity building.”
He implored the combined team of the ministry of information and the university to speed up the provision of the remaining document, which will enable them to submit the final report to UNESCO by February 7, 2025.
In his response, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Olufemi Peters, represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic, Prof. Chiedu Mafiana, appreciated the team for their thoroughness, friendly disposition and open-minded approach.
“We are grateful in all the areas you have talked about. We will, as quickly as possible, get all of these to you,”he said.
Mafiana assured the team to fear not about sustainability as the institute would be sustained, as this forms part of the area of core interest of UNESCO “and it is in our interest to do according to how UNESCO wants.”
Present at the exit meeting include Prof. Chiedu Mafiana; Prof. Isaac Butswat, DVC administration; Mr. Oladipo A. Ajayi, Registrar; Dr. Angela Okpala, University Librarian; Mr. Nasiru Marafa, University Bursar; Mr. Ibrahim Sheme, Director, Media and Publicity; Dr. Lateef Adelakun, Ag. Director, IMILI, representatives of the ministry of information, academicians, and other stakeholders as well as the Deputy Registrar in the VC office, Mr. Adefemi Oyedipe.
IMILI is an important tool in combating fake news, misinformation and disinformation, which continue to pose significant threats to peace and security globally.
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