By Ige Adekunle
Vice-Chancellor, College of Chaplaincy & Social Sciences, Nigeria, Prof. Faith Nana, has called on the Federal Government to grant more licenses to online educational institutions to enhance access to education across the country.
Nana made the appeal while delivering his welcome address during the college’s sixth convocation ceremony on Thursday in Ota.
The college, an affiliate of African American University, Porto-Novo, accredited by American Council of Training & Development, operates all its courses through online learning.
During the 2023/2024 academic session, the college will graduate 55 students across Advanced Diploma, Bachelor’s, Master’s and Ph.D programmes.
Nana highlighted the global shift toward online education, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, which demonstrated the feasibility of online learning.
He emphasised that public and private institutions in Nigeria had increasingly adopted online education.
“I appeal to the Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Education, to establish modalities with simpler requirements for more online institutions to gain approval,” Nana said.
He also urged the government to empower newly approved institutions to gradually roll out degree programmes, starting with a single programmes and expanding over time.
“The country needs more institutions like MIVA Open University to address the challenges of educational accessibility,” he added.
The vice-chancellor stressed that approving new online institutions would significantly strengthen the nation’s educational system.
In her remarks, Prof. Kehinde Osoba, newly inaugurated as the first honourary chancellor of the college, expressed her gratitude and commitment to the college’s growth.
“I accept this responsibility as a demonstration of my dedication to the development of humanity,” she said.
Osoba pledged to prioritise the completion of ongoing projects and infrastructural developments at the college.
She also promised to develop and implement a strategic action plan while fostering relationships with relevant stakeholders.
The event featured the induction of the 55 graduates into the Alumni Association and the inauguration of Osoba as the college’s first chancellor.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the convocation ceremony celebrated the college’s continued dedication to delivering quality online education and its contribution to expanding access to higher learning in Nigeria.(NAN)
