Mani community centre director fielding questions from NOUN News correspondent
A new community study centre in Mani Local Government Area of Katsina State, has joined the list of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) study centres spread across the length and breadth of the country.
Mani, one of the local governments that constitute Daura zone, Katsina North Senatorial District of the state and the community centre was sponsored by the senator of the zone, Senator Ahmed Babba Kaita, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and Tertiary Education Trust Fund.
Consequently, the management of the university approved the appointment of Mr. Shamwil Salisu as the Acting Director of the centre in a letter dated March 11, 2023 and signed by the Acting Director, Human Resources, Dr. Muyiwa S. Akintola, on behalf of the registrar.
The letter, conveying the Vice-Chancellor’s approval for the appointment of Mr. Salisu as the Ag. Director, Mani Community Study Centre, further stated that “as the Acting Director, you are responsible to the Vice-Chancellor through the Director, Learners Support Services on the day-to-day activities of the centre.”
When NOUN News correspondent visited the centre and met the director at his office, he reacted by saying that the appointment came to him as a surprise and described it as a welcome development, pledging his commitment to serve the university in the new capacity.
Salisu said the new appointment was both a challenge and opportunity, “challenge because it needed more attention, hard work and dedication. It is an opportunity because it serves as a privilege to lead a new centre and bring the gospel of NOUN and the Open and Distance Learning to the doorsteps of the communities in Daura Senatorial District and beyond.”
Speaking on his plans for the centre, which has already enroled more than 20 students, while many are expected to follow suit, the director said “it is quite a simple thing; it is to make Mani Community Centre among the three best centres in the entire university in terms of students enrolment and students-centred activities. The whole point is to ensure (that) our students are satisfied with the services provided by the centre.”
He added that the centre has since mapped out strategies for massive and aggressive advocacy drive “and so far, we have visited stakeholders in the zone for familiarisation visits, which we have gotten their total assurance of their support, amongst which were the Chairman, Mani Local Government Council, the Divisional Police Headquarters of the local government, Coordinator, Zonal Education Quality Assurance Office and Education Secretary of the local government and a host of others.”
The director thanked the Vice-Chancellor. Prof. Olufemi Peters and the university management for having faith in him to steer the leadership of Mani Community Study Centre, assuring them of his total commitment to making the one of the best in the country.
