President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has warned that the integrity of Nigeria’s academic system must not be compromised, urging heads of education agencies to remain committed to upholding government policies that safeguard the education sector.
Speaking as the Visitor during the 14th Convocation Ceremony of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) held in Abuja on Saturday, the President, represented by the Director of University Education at the Federal Ministry of Education, Dr Rakiya Gambo, reaffirmed his administration’s support for education reform and technological transformation.
He said agencies including the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), National Universities Commission (NUC), National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), and National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), are working together to ensure that unaccredited and fraudulent institutions are rooted out.
“As a government, we are determined to uphold the quality of education in Nigeria. The integrity of our academic system must not be compromised under any circumstances,” he said.
Tinubu also tasked NOUN management with developing a comprehensive roadmap to transition into a full-fledged online university, leveraging its expertise in open and distance learning.
“I urge the university to embrace digital transformation by integrating emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and virtual reality to strengthen its content delivery and accessibility,” he said.
He assured that the federal government would provide the necessary infrastructure, policies and resources to support the transition, adding that NOUN’s quality has encouraged the licensing of five new private open universities in the country.
Earlier, the Vice Chancellor of NOUN, Prof. Olufemi Peters, announced the graduation of 17,420 students, comprising 10,967 undergraduates and 6,413 postgraduates.
He said 16 students graduated with First Class honours, while 1,417 made Second Class Upper Division, 5,518 Second Class Lower, 2,761 Third Class and 138 with Pass degrees.
At the postgraduate level, 2,103 students were awarded postgraduate diplomas, 4,310 earned Master’s degrees, and 40 bagged doctorate degrees.
Prof. Peters noted that the ceremony underscored NOUN’s commitment to inclusivity and its innovative approach to learning.
