NOUN places great premium on your studies, VC Tells students

By Sunday Adama
Vice-Chancellor

The Vice-Chancellor, National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Prof. Olufemi Peters, has said students' academic success is the priority of the university.

Peters stated this during the maiden online facilitation orientation organized for the students of the university, which took place both virtually and physically across the country.

While welcoming both the new and old students to the new semester, Peters said: "what we’re trying to do now is a new beginning in the university; a new paradigm shift from the way we used to operate.

"Every semester, we shall overtake the facilitation procedure process. This method is better than the old system. The old system means that we attempt to meet you physically in the various study centres.

"There are so many logistical problems that made this very difficult to achieve and that is why some courses have not been facilitated.

"What we are trying to do now is to take you through the same technology that you will be going through as a form of induction or orientation so that you will be familiar with the technology tools that will take you through your courses as you journey through your studies in the university.

"Your university, our university is braizing the trail and this is the way we want to go about it now. This is the way we want to deliver your courses. It is the beginning of change.

"Information technology affords us the opportunity to be able to get to all of you at anytime of the day. You know we have what is referred to as facilitation rather than physical teaching.

"There are various requirements for you as a person to benefit from this new way of teaching," Peters said.

While pleading with the students to maximize the opportunity in order to ensure the success of online facilitation exercise, the VC enjoined the students to participate fully, adding that part of the students' grade will come from their participation in the online facilitation.

Speaking further, he said,"my dear students, your university is determined to take your studies very seriously and more than before.

"We shall make sure that those things that will enable this opportunity to be available to you in terms of infrastructure in all the study centres that we have in the country, this university will provide for you", the VC said.

On his part, the Director, Learners Support Services (LSS), Prof. Gregory Okagbare , while delivering his opening remarks, said "the online facilitation orientation programme is being organised to assist you to benefit immensely from our online facilitation activities.

"This is the first time we are organising this kind of orientation programme for our students. And that is because we have a VC that is very much interested in your academic excellence.

"Your learning is very easy here at the National Open University of Nigeria", Prof. Okagbare said.

While wishing the students a successful orientation, Okagbare enjoined them to put in their best and also take advantage of the online facilitation.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Director, Directorate of Learning Content Management Systems, (DLCMS) Dr. Adewale Adesina who organised and co-ordinated the orientation, said the essence of the online orientation for students is to bring about improvement in the delivery of teaching and learning.

Adesina, who took students on virtual tour of the university, called on the students to avail themselves with the opportunity of online facilitation the university offers.

There was questions and answers session, where students were given opportunities to ask questions on online facilitation and their questions were responded to accordingly by the panelists

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