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| Prof. Asubiojo. |
The Obafemi Awolowo University centre for Open
Distance Learning (ODL) will soon admit about 10,000 pioneer students of its
open distance learning (ODL) programs next year.
This was the submission of the director of the centre
for distance learning OAU Prof. Bode Asubiojo on Tuesday at the closing
ceremony of a two-day workshop organized by OAU in collaboration with the Venture
Garden Group (VGG) and the Green Education Group at the International Institute
of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
The program according to him is to sensitize the public
include admission seekers, parents, publishers, teachers and other stakeholders
in the education sector on the importance of online programs such as e learning,
open distance learning, distance learning among others said the program which
will be online by March next year would admit about 10, 000 students for the
start of the program.
The professor of Physics said the program which is
different from part time programs will among others open more admission spaces
for thousands of undergraduate admission seekers, reduce costs of students and
also give those in the workforce opportunities to get certificates without
leaving their places of residence.
Asubiojo who disclosed that lecturers of the
institution have been undergoing trainings for the commencement of the program
for the various courses in Education, Accounting, Nursing and Economics that
are on the pipeline for the commencement
of the program said the institution will need about 500 million Naira for the
take off of the program next year.
The CEO/ president of VGG Mr. Bunmi Akinyemiju told
reporters that the aim of the program is to leverage technology, save time
energy and reduce cost of education and to open more opportunities to admission
seekers. He said about 45,000 students on yearly basis struggle for about 5,000
admission spaces at OAU. He said the program will provide opportunities for the
remaining 40,000 students who could not get the normal admission.
Akinyemiju who stated that “the program is an OAU program
in collaboration with the two organizations” said “it is an online program that
incorporates mobile learning, tablet devices and e-learning across the world will
help to reduce stress being undergo by admission seekers on yearly basis” also
stated that it is NUC approved which is a public private partnership (PPA) initiative
with the same content, value with other programs run by the institution.
The two-day program was attended by seasoned
educators, tutors, consultants, students and media practitioners.
