Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has demanded comprehensive reforms at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), with specific emphasis on modernising the institution and reinstating its Law programme, a development drawing strong attention in Nigeria’s education sector this weekend.
Vanguard News Obasanjo made the remarks on Friday in Abeokuta, Ogun State, while welcoming the newly appointed Vice-Chancellor of NOUN, Professor Uduma Orji Uduma, and members of his management team following their official introduction at his residence.
In statements attributed to him via NOUN’s Director of Media and Publicity, Ibrahim Sheme, the former president emphasised that open and distance learning must evolve with global academic trends by embracing innovation and technology to remain relevant.
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He pressed university leadership to prioritise modernisation, expand the institution’s reach, and broaden access to quality higher education.
A key element of his call was the restoration of NOUN’s Law programme, a course of study that had been previously suspended and whose absence has been a source of frustration for prospective law students and legal educators nationwide.
Obasanjo framed the return of the law faculty as critical to expanding professional education opportunities for Nigerians through the open university system.
Obasanjo also urged the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into NOUN’s academic curriculum and administrative systems, underscoring the necessity for contemporary teaching methods and tools to prepare learners for a rapidly changing global economy.
He linked technological adaptation with improved academic outcomes and institutional competitiveness.
Nigeria In response, the immediate past Vice-Chancellor, Professor Olufemi Peters, reiterated that the university has already embarked on initiatives to leverage AI in teaching and learning, efforts that have reportedly garnered recognition from international educational bodies.
Peters disclosed that NOUN has approximately 300,000 registered students, of which about 190,000 are actively engaged, noting the participation gap reflects varying levels of engagement among learners.
Professor Uduma used the occasion to commit his administration to reviving the Law programme and to sustain the reform agenda laid out by Obasanjo.
He thanked the former president for his continued support and pledged to pursue the broader goals of innovation, academic relevance, and increased student enrolment.
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Following the meeting, the NOUN delegation visited the Abeokuta Study Centre, where Professor Uduma and his team were briefed on the centre’s facilities by its director, Oyekunle Adegboyega.
Obasanjo’s intervention arrives amid ongoing debates within academic and professional circles about the role of open and distance learning in expanding access to higher education in Nigeria, particularly in professional fields such as law and technology.
Source: The Guardian
