The Branch Controller of the West African Examination Council (WAEC), Minna, Niger State, Mr. Bisi Sofela has lauded the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) for its efforts towards taking education to the door-step of every Nigerian.
Sofela stated this on Wednesday, February 2, 2022 while playing host to NOUN Minna Study Centre delegation led by the director, Dr. M. A. Gana during an advocacy visit to the office.
The controller, who is also a beneficiary of NOUN programme, having obtained his master ‘s degree in Educational Administration and Planning (M.Ed) expressed his delight over the visit, adding that it could not have come at a much better time than now.
‘’It is the first of its kind from NOUN Minna Study Centre and the first organisation to pay us a courtesy visit in the year 2022,” he said.
Speaking further, the excited Sofela informed the visiting team that he has been encouraging staff of WAEC in Minna to enroll and run programmes with NOUN having benefited from its flexibility and uniqueness.
He said some of the staff are already students while a sizeable number have obtained degrees, assuring that more will still enrol.
Sofela, who was full of praises for NOUN’s efforts, also urged the study centre director to extend similar gesture to other organisations in Minna so as to help correct some wrong notions held by the public about the institution.
Also speaking, the Head of Admin, WAEC Office Minna, Mr. Akinrinade Jimoh, who is also a Master’s degree holder from NOUN, suggested to the management that the graduands certificates should be issued to the students at the study centre.
Jimoh suggested that more measures should be put in place to eliminate examination malpractice, adding that the status of Law programme in NOUN should be reactivated.
Earlier in his speech, the centre director, Dr. M. A Gana, who led the visiting team thanked his host for the warm reception accorded them.
While delving into the history of NOUN as well as its mode of operations, Gana told his host that flexibility, affordability and reliability make NOUN unique from conventional universities.
Gana added that prospective students do not need any connection or JAMB score to gain admission into NOUN, stating that students can always seek for change of study centre while on an official assignment outside Minna.
The director further urged WAEC to consider Minna Study Centre facility as one of its Script Marking Centres in Niger State, promising to convey the issues raised to the university headquarters for necessary action.
