The Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Mallam Isa Yuguda, has called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to fully implement the inclusion of NOUN graduates in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and grant access to the Nigerian Law School for the university’s law graduates.
He made the appeal during the 14th Convocation Ceremony of the institution held in Abuja on Saturday, April 12, 2025, where 17, 420 students were conferred with various degrees and diplomas.
Addressing the gathering, the Pro-Chancellor described the convocation as a significant milestone, affirming NOUN’s continued commitment to delivering quality and inclusive education through its open and distance learning (ODL) model.
“This convocation marks a celebration of academic excellence and resilience,” he said. “Our graduates have proven that regardless of circumstances, quality education can be accessed and achieved through discipline and hard work.”
Yuguda emphasised that with more young Nigerians now enrolling in NOUN programmes, it is both timely and just for the government to ensure that graduates from the university enjoy the same privileges as their counterparts in conventional universities.
“We appeal to the President, as the Visitor to the university, to ensure the full implementation of the NYSC scheme for NOUN graduates. Although approval has been granted, we are still facing implementation challenges,” he stated.
In a similar plea, Yuguda called for the formal inclusion of NOUN law graduates into the Nigerian Law School, citing the university’s readiness to meet all requirements.
“Despite producing exceptional law graduates, they continue to face barriers in gaining admission into the Nigerian Law School. This disparity must be addressed to uphold fairness and strengthen the legal profession,” he said.
The Pro-Chancellor also highlighted the extensive efforts by the Governing Council to improve infrastructure and learning conditions across the country’s numerous study centers.
He noted that NOUN operates nearly 150 study centres nationwide and requires urgent support to expand facilities and enhance service delivery.
“With strategic interventions and visits to our centres, we have begun implementing measures to improve infrastructure, administrative processes, and student support systems,” he added.
Acknowledging past interventions, the Pro-Chancellor praised the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) for its consistent support to NOUN and appealed for continued and increased funding.
“We deeply appreciate the invaluable role TETFund has played in supporting our academic infrastructure and capacity development. However, as NOUN continues to expand its reach and national impact, additional support is essential,” he said.
Yuguda further appealed to private sector players to support the university under their corporate social responsibility initiatives by helping to renovate and construct study facilities across the country.
The former Bauchi State governor also commended the NOUN Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Olufemi Peters, for his leadership and innovations in modernising the university’s instructional tools, including the deployment of updated digital learning materials.
“From the comfort of their homes and villages, qualified students are now able to pursue degrees and diplomas. This is a unique advantage of the ODL system,” he said.
The Pro-Chancellor urged the graduates to uphold the university’s values of discipline, diligence, and excellence.
“As proud ambassadors of NOUN, we trust you will contribute meaningfully to society and be shining examples of what is possible through open and distance learning,” he stated.
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