OAU starts Online Distance Learning

The Obafemi Awolowo University’s Centre for Distance Learning (OAUCDL) has matriculated its pioneer set of students for the Online Distance Learning Programme. A statement from the centre indicated that the event was held at the Oduduwa Hall of the OAU Main Campus.

The programme is accredited by the Nigerian Universities Commission (NUC) and allows students to receive their lectures online using a customised study tablet (Vigitab).

The Vice Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University, Professor Bamitale Omole, told the matriculating students that: “You have the singular honour of being the first set of students in our eLearning programme, the first of its type in Nigeria.

“Your distant learning mode of admission does not in any way imply inferiority in status, compared to our conventional students, either in terms of lecture delivery or the certificates you will receive. Our university guards jealously the integrity of its degrees and diplomas
whether obtained in the conventional or distance learning mode.

Hence your various curricula have gone
through the usual high standards of excellence of the University Senate for which Obafemi Awolowo University
is well known.” The Centre for Distance Learning Director, Professor Bode Asubiojo, said: “This development is the first of its kind in Nigeria and we are pleased with it. We have replicated the classroom experience on a tablet device for students. Students can receive lectures, submit assignments, participate in forums, take quizzes, and even rewind their lecturers, all from the comfort of their homes, offices or wherever they may be in Nigeria or abroad.”

The eLearning solution is powered by a Learning Management System (VigiLearn) that allows students to receive lectures, submit assignments, relate with peers, participate in group discussions and get graded without being physically within the four walls of a lecture room.

“Our primary charge at the centre is to provide quality education to the teeming Nigerian youths who possess the prerequisite qualifications for entry to Nigerian universities but are denied admission owing to inadequate facilities on campus and the working class who are desirous of pursuing undergraduate and post graduate programmes whilst still retaining their jobs,”

Professor Asubiojo said. Courses on offer for the Online Distance Learning Programme are B.Sc. Accounting and Bachelor of Nursing Science. The Centre plans to include more courses in the future.

For more info visit: www.oaucdl.edu.ng

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Our Online Learning is qualitative says OAU

After matriculating students into the New Online Distance learning, Authorities of the Obafemi Awolowo University have assured their online distance-learning students of quality academic delivery.

The Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Bamitale Omole, gave the assurance during the matriculation of pioneer students of the Online Distance Learning Programme.

The university’s Centre for Distance Learning runs the programme, which at present offers degree courses in Accounting and Nursing. Omole, who urged the students to be committed to
their studies, noted that their certificates would not be inferior to those obtained via the conventional approach.

He said, “You have the singular honour of being the first set of students in our eLearning programme. I congratulate you on being pioneers of the eLearning revolution in the country. “I want to assure you that distant learning mode of
admission does not imply in any way inferiority in status, compared to our conventional students either in terms of lecture delivery or of the certificates you
receive at the end of your programmes.

“Our university guards jealously the integrity of its degrees and diplomas whether obtained in the conventional or distance learning mode. Hence, your
various curricula have gone through the usual high standards of excellence of the university Senate for which OAU is well known.”

The OAUCDL Director, Prof. Bode Asubiojo, also promised that the centre would continue to provide quality education in line with the university’s tradition. Asubiojo said, “Our primary charge at the centre is to provide quality education to the teeming number of Nigerian youths who possess the prerequisite qualifications for entry to universities but are denied admission owing to inadequate facilities on campus.

“It also targets the working class who are desirous of pursuing undergraduate and postgraduate programmes while retaining their jobs. The Online Distance Learning programme allows us to deliver on this objective.” Asubiojo, who said the programme had already received the National Universities Commission’s accreditation, noted that its students use customised study tablets (Vigitabs) for learning.

He added, “This development is the first of its kind in Nigeria and we are pleased with it. We have replicated the classroom experience on a tablet device for
students. For the first time, students can receive lectures, submit assignments, participate in forums, take quizzes and even rewind their lecturers, all from the comfort of their homes, offices or wherever they may be in Nigeria or abroad.”

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Etisalat calls for more funding of education sector

COMMITTED to promoting academic excellence among tertiary institution students in Nigeria, leading telecommunications giant, Etisalat recently rewarded some outstanding students of Nigerian higher institutions for their brave academic performances, through its education empowerment scheme, Etisalat Merit Awards that held at the Oriental Hotel Lagos.

Speaking at the event, the CEO Etisalat
Nigeria, Mr. Mathew Willsher said the award is a scholarship scheme designed to fulfill the company’s goal of empowering the society through knowledge acquisition and promoting education within Nigeria.

In his opening remarks, Willsher reiterated the importance of education and innovation to human development and improvement of the quality of human lives. He lamented the global illiteracy rate, which currently stands at one billion.

He also congratulated the 70 students drawn from seven universities in the country, describing them as the future of the Nigeria and adding that the country’s greatness in the area of innovation and scientific discoveries lay on their shoulders.

Speaking further, he canvassed private sector partnership for funding education in the country and argued that education is critical to development and should not be left exclusively to government to fund.

He added that this was why Etisalat Nigeria is involved with promoting education as part of the company’s corporate social responsibility.

He said: “We are gathered here in recognition of the importance of education. It is sad that about one billion people can’t read globally. We
know that government is doing a lot in the area of funding and promoting education, but corporate organizations also have roles to play and this is why we focus on education as one of our corporate social responsibility initiatives.”

“The importance of education is further
underscored by the fact that studies have
shown that countries where less than 20 per cent go to school are less developed compared to others. Countries with less literacy rate miss out on a lot of things because they have a
community of people who can’t read,” he added.

Highpoints of the ceremony was the
innovation contest among the participating universities and the award ceremony proper.
Selected scholars of the five institutions made five-minute presentations of innovations of their choice.

Tagged The Etisalat Innovation Moment, the presentations were judged based on
adaptability, value, social impact, environmental impact and rate of feasibility. They were scored by a panel of judges.

The entry by Onohaebi Samuel, a 400-level undergraduate of Electrical and Electronic Engineering of the University of Benin was adjudged the best, and he emerged winner.

James Fagboun of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Ile-Ife, and Eigbe Eghonghon of University of Lagos came second and third respectively.

While Samuel got N100, 000 and a HP
laptop for his efforts, Eghonghon and Fagboun won a Techno Phantom device each for their efforts. Besides, the participating students, 10 each from the seven schools that took part in
the contest, went home with N100, 000 each, while their schools were awarded N1.1 Million each courtesy of the telecommunication company.

Speaking after the ceremony, Samuel exuded happiness and said: “This is a dream come true for me. I have always wanted to be commended for my academic prowess and now that I have been so recognized, it would serve as a
motivation to do more, especially in the area of improving access to power for creative uses across all economic sectors.”