The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) on Saturday matriculated no fewer than 100 members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Abuja.
The exercise was part of the 17th matriculation ceremony of NOUN which took place in 78 study centres across the county.
No fewer than 16,033 new students participated nationwide.
In his welcome address, Prof. Abdalla Adamu, NOUN’s Vice-Chancellor, said that the institution was the only Open and Distance Learning (ODL) university in Nigeria.
Represented by Prof. Hakeem Tijani, Director, NURTW Special Study Centre, Garki, Abuja, Adamu said that NOUN had the mandate to take university education to every nook and cranny of Nigeria.
“Our faithfulness to this mandate is the reason why you are participating in this matriculation ceremony at your various study centres.
“University education, all over the world, offers students who have subscribed to it the opportunity for self-development and for participation in life of his community.
“As an institution, we have put in place structures that will enable you to become the best you can be after your education.
“For example, we have subjected all our academic programmes to the National Universities Commission (NUC) for accreditation; I am proud to announce that all the programmes so submitted came out successfully,’’ he said.
Tijani told newsmen at the sidelines that the NURTW Special Centre, which started in 2013, had witnessed exponential enrolment of students.
He said that the institution, under Adamu, was very serious about human capacity development.
According to him, in total, 945 students are matriculating from the NURTW study centre.
He said that the centre had produced graduates, adding that some of them had enrolled for postgraduate programmes in the institution.
On his part Comrade Kefas Dogonyaro , Director Information Services, NURTW, said that the study centre was part of giving back to the society.
“That is our corporate social responsibility as a union; we deemed it right to pick that study centre; provide it with facilities that will make learning very conducive.
“We informed our members across the country that they should endeavour to improve themselves through distance education coupled with their driving skills; so that we can attain the global best practices in driving.
“Our members across the country have keyed into the programme, the study has picked up to a great height and we are proud of it.
“From our statistics, we have over 100 members matriculating today; our job is to carry passengers across the country; so we asked them to update their knowledge which they are doing across the country.
Alhaji Najeem Yasin, NURTW’s National President was represented at the event by Comrade Franklin Ucheagha, Principal Assistant General Secretary, NURTW. (NAN)
