The University helmsman stated this during the exit meeting with the National Universities Commission (NUC) officials who were in the University for the Pre-Validation Exercise of the institution’s proposed Centre for Open Distance and E-Learning (CODeL) at the Vice-Chancellor’s Conference Room, Main Campus.
Prof. Bala
disclosed that the institution has invested massively in infrastructure
needed to run the programme seamlessly with robust internet bandwidth as
well as training and retraining of staff of the Centre, while noting
that the commencement of the open distance e-learning programme in the
University was long overdue.
The Vice-Chancellor said the Centre has
the full support of the University Management while noting that some of
his predecessors in office also laid solid foundation towards the
actualization of the Centre.
He commended the NUC team for doing a thorough job within three days to access the University’s preparedness for the kick-off of the proposed Centre and assured that all the observations raised by them would be looked into immediately.
The VC expressed appreciation to NUC for sending a team of experts in the areas of open distance and e-learning, adding that the observations raised in their preliminary report showed that they are all committed to the University’s quest to provide more access to education for people.
Speaking
earlier, the leader of the team, the Executive Secretary, NUC, Prof.
Abubakar Rasheed said they have concluded their assignment in the
University and further appreciated the University Management for the
superb hospitality and support accorded the visiting team.
Represented
by the Director, Open Distance and E-Learning, NUC, Dr. Mrs. Olamide
Adesina, the Executive Secretary said NUC is desirous of ensuring
quality in Nigerian education system, particularly in the area of
content delivery through the use of technology.
Presenting the preliminary report, Prof. Abdullahi Junaid of the Department of Computer Science, Ahmadu Bello University who is also a member of the team commended the University for all the facilities put in place for the take-off of the programme, saying that the team noticed some areas which are minimal that the University needs to improve upon towards ensuring that the Centre comes into fruition.
In his vote of thanks, the Director, Academic Planning, FUT, Minna, Prof. Amuda Yusuf Yahaya thanked the team for their thorough assessment of the proposed Centre’s courseware materials, facilities and other essentials, adding that they have done a good job and posterity would never forget them.
“You are building a world not a nation because you cannot project the number of students that would benefit from this Centre when it finally takes off. I want to thank God on your behalf for being part of the history of the Centre,” Prof. Yahaya disclosed.
It will be recalled that the NUC team were earlier received on arrival to the University on Wednesday, August 7, 2019 by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Prof. Yahaya Ahmed Iyaka on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Abdullahi Bala.
Other dignitaries at both visits were; other members of the University Management team, the Director and Deputy Director of the proposed Centre, Prof. Abiodun Musa Aibinu, Prof. Amosa Gambari, the former Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration), Prof. Suleiman Omeiza Sadiku, Dr. Abdulrahman Asipita, the Secretary of the proposed Centre, Mr. Ben Legbo and other members of staff of the Centre and Academic Planning Unit.
