Manny Ita –
The National Universities Commission (NUC) has said it will engage the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to consider policy adjustments that would allow graduates of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) to participate in the national service scheme.
The Executive Secretary of the NUC, Prof. Abdullahi Ribadu, made this known in Abuja during NOUN’s 15th convocation ceremony, where 24,575 graduates were awarded various degrees.
Ribadu, who represented President Bola Tinubu as Visitor to the university, said the commission is committed to reviewing existing policy frameworks governing NYSC participation in response to changing graduate demographics, especially from open and distance learning institutions.
He explained that with the rise in younger graduates from such institutions, there is a need to reassess eligibility rules to reflect current realities.
The NUC boss praised NOUN for its role in expanding access to higher education in Nigeria, noting that the institution provides flexible learning opportunities for working professionals, security personnel, civil servants, entrepreneurs, and other categories of learners, including inmates in correctional centres.
According to him, NOUN currently has over 500,000 students, making it one of the largest open universities in Africa, and demonstrating the growing importance of distance learning in addressing Nigeria’s higher education access gap.
He also reaffirmed the Federal Government’s plan to reposition NOUN into a globally competitive online university in line with global trends in digital education.
The Vice-Chancellor of NOUN, Prof. Uduma Oji Uduma, announced that 24,575 graduands were awarded degrees across undergraduate and postgraduate levels at the ceremony, with a breakdown showing thousands of graduates across First Class, Second Class, and postgraduate categories.
The Oba of Benin and Chancellor of the university also called for stronger government funding and policy reforms to remove barriers affecting eligible NOUN graduates, especially regarding participation in the NYSC scheme.
