PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has directed the Ministry of Education to include National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) graduates in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme.
He also directed graduates of the Law faculty in the institution to be allowed to enrol in Law School upon graduation.
According to Punch, Tinubu gave the orders through the Deputy Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Biodun Saliu, who represented the President at the institution’s 13th convocation ceremony on Saturday, April 13.
“With the changing demographics of our great nation, the government has recognised the importance of allowing NOUN graduates to participate in the NYSC scheme. The doors of the Law School are now open to the graduates, ensuring equal opportunities for all. Any remaining concerns or uncertainties should be promptly addressed by the Federal Ministry of Education.
“We will continue to do this in order to improve quality, access, and affordability. Government is, therefore, committed through the Federal Ministry of Education and the NUC to provide the enabling environment to ensure a good delivery of this mode of education in Nigeria,” Saliu was quoted as saying.
He also said Tinubu’s administration was committed to enhancing distant learning in the country as part of measures to attain the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.
It was reported that few days to the convocation, NOUN Vice-Chancellor Olufemi Peters said graduates of the university would soon begin to be mobilised for NYSC.
He also disclosed that the institution would begin its Law programme, which had earlier been suspended, following advice from the Council of Legal Education.
Ijeoma Opara is a journalist with The ICIR. Reach her via [email protected] or @ije_le on Twitter.