By Felix Khanoba
No fewer than 73 participants got distinction in quality assurance training organised by the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) for its staff members.
The virtual training, which had a total of 158 participants from all study centres, also saw 23 staff securing credits, 8 got pass and others ended up with an honourable mention.
A statement made available to The AUTHORITY by Ibrahim Sheme, Director of Media in the University, said the three-week training, which took place on the Zoom platform, was moderated by the Chairman of the NOUN Governing Council, Prof. Peter A. Okebukola, who served as Facilitator-General of the event.
The training aimed at improving academic quality delivery in the institution had NOUN’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Abdalla Uba Adamu, as one of the facilitators.
With the theme, ‘Setting Up a Learning Management System and Implementing an Online Course on Module Platform’, the training was convened following a survey on the training needs of academic staff by a sub-committee of the University’s Governing Council.
Speaking at the Virtual Graduation Ceremony which took place on Wednesday, Prof. Okebukola said the Council and Senate of the University had deemed it pertinent to set up a process that would lead to a significant improvement in the delivery of best Open and Distance Learning (ODL) education.
He said now that incidents of COVID-19 have drastically reduced, state governments and universities are looking for teachers in the field of ODL, which the training would equip NOUN staff to be the master trainers in the current demand of experts.
On his part, NOUN Vice-Chancellor, who delivered a remark at the virtual ceremony, told participants that there had been a paradigm shift in the delivery of ODL education not only in Nigeria but also the world over, which was necessitated by the global COVID-19 pandemic.
The VC said over the last four and a half years of his administration, the university had undertaken a series of reforms and complied with the approved standards of ODL teaching across the globe.
While urging policy makers to begin to view education beyond its conventional confines, Adamu congratulated the participants for having gone through the intensive training and passing with great results.
The Graduation Lecture was delivered by the President of LAWEH Open University, Ghana, Prof. Goski Alabi, with the theme, ‘Agenda for Making Africa Take Leadership Position in ODL’
