NOUN graduates now eligible for NYSC, Law School–Senate

The Senate has passed an amendment to the law establishing the
National Open University, which will make graduates of the
institution eligible for mobilisation by the National Youth Service
Corps and to attend the Nigerian Law School.

The passage followed the adoption of a report by the Senate
Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund on the ‘Bill for An
Act to Amend the National Open University Act Cap N6 LFN 1983
(Amendment) Bill 2017’ by the lawmakers at the plenary on
Thursday.

In the report, the Senate panel stated that the amendment to the
National Open University of Nigeria Act was to bring the
institution at par with the regular universities in the
country.

The report said, “The objectives of the bill are as follows:
firstly, to amend the existing legislation with a view to removing
the perception of the public about the university in respect of the
word ‘correspondence,’ which gives the impression that the
university is not a full-time university and, as such, seen as
part-time.

“These two concepts – correspondence and part-time –
significantly affect the way the public views the programs run by
the university. This has been the reason why the Law graduates of
the school are not admitted into the Nigerian Law School as well as
the reason for the non-inclusion of the graduates of the university
into the National Youth Service Corps scheme.

“Secondly, to include lnformation and Communication Technology
as another means of providing tuition towards the advancement of
learning throughout Nigeria. The National Open University, as
currently run, depends critically on virtual learning and students’
individual research, hence, the need for improvement and
introduction of helpful learning tools as presented by lCT. This
will further deal with the challenge of limited access in the
tertiary education sector.”

The Senate has passed an amendment to the law establishing the
National Open University, which will make graduates of the
institution eligible for mobilisation by the National Youth Service
Corps and to attend the Nigerian Law School.

The passage followed the adoption of a report by the Senate
Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund on the ‘Bill for An
Act to Amend the National Open University Act Cap N6 LFN 1983
(Amendment) Bill 2017’ by the lawmakers at the plenary on
Thursday.

In the report, the Senate panel stated that the amendment to the
National Open University of Nigeria Act was to bring the
institution at par with the regular universities in the
country.

The report said, “The objectives of the bill are as follows:
firstly, to amend the existing legislation with a view to removing
the perception of the public about the university in respect of the
word ‘correspondence,’ which gives the impression that the
university is not a full-time university and, as such, seen as
part-time.

“These two concepts – correspondence and part-time –
significantly affect the way the public views the programs run by
the university. This has been the reason why the Law graduates of
the school are not admitted into the Nigerian Law School as well as
the reason for the non-inclusion of the graduates of the university
into the National Youth Service Corps scheme.

“Secondly, to include lnformation and Communication Technology
as another means of providing tuition towards the advancement of
learning throughout Nigeria. The National Open University, as
currently run, depends critically on virtual learning and students’
individual research, hence, the need for improvement and
introduction of helpful learning tools as presented by lCT. This
will further deal with the challenge of limited access in the
tertiary education sector.”