Federal Govt To Open Dialogue On NYSC Participation For NOUN Graduates

The federal government is to review policy frameworks governing the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to expand participation for eligible graduates of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) and other evolving categories of learners.

Executive secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Abdullahi Yusuf Ribadu, stated this at the university’s 15th convocation ceremony in Abuja yesterday.

Representing President Bola Tinubu, who is the Visitor to the university, Ribadu said the NUC would engage the NYSC to consider policy adjustments that reflect changing graduate demographics, particularly the emergence of younger graduates from open and distance learning institutions.

He emphasised the growing importance of open and distance learning in addressing Nigeria’s widening higher education access gap.

“I want to assure you, at NUC, we will engage with NYSC to see what policy changes can be made in order for non-graduates, because the dynamics have changed.

“Unlike in the past, where graduates of now are 30 years and above, in recent times, you have graduates of a younger age, less than 30, who are likely to participate in the NYSC based on age. We will do our best to see that this thing is effected,” he said.

He commended NOUN for its resilience and consistent commitment to expanding access to university education, regardless of location, occupation or circumstance.

He also noted that the university had continued to provide flexible learning opportunities to diverse groups, including working professionals, security personnel, civil servants, entrepreneurs, women balancing family responsibilities, and inmates in correctional facilities.

“Today, National Open University of Nigeria stands not only as Nigeria’s premier open and distance learning institution, but also as one of the largest open universities in Africa, with over 500,000 students enrolled nationwide.

“This remarkable scale demonstrates the enormous potential of open and distance learning to complement conventional universities in addressing Nigeria’s educational access challenges while maintaining comparable academic standards.

“I especially commend the university for sustaining strong partnerships with our security institutions, enabling officers and personnel to upgrade their knowledge, enhance their professional competence, and contribute more effectively to national development.”

Ribadu further reaffirmed government’s plan to reposition NOUN into a globally competitive online university, in line with international trends in digital education.

Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of NOUN, Professor Uduma Oji Uduma,  announced that 24,575 graduands were being awarded various degrees across undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

According to him, the breakdown includes 17,474 undergraduate degrees, 1,788 postgraduate diplomas, 5,282 master’s degrees and 31 doctoral degrees.

He noted that among undergraduate graduands, 57 achieved First Class Honours, 2,505 obtained Second Class Upper, 8,541 graduated with Second Class Lower, 4,149 with Third Class, while 234 obtained Pass degrees.

“Permit me, therefore, to draw our attention to the scale and significance of this moment. At this 15th Convocation of the National Open University of Nigeria, a total of 24,575 graduands are being awarded various qualifications of this great University.

“This includes 17,474 undergraduate degrees, 1,788 postgraduate diplomas, 5,282 master’s degrees, and 31 doctoral degrees. These numbers are precise in arithmetic, yet expansive in implication.

“Among the undergraduate graduands, 57 attained First Class Honours (approximately 0.3%), 2,505 earned Second Class Honours (Upper Division) (about 14.3%), 8,541 graduated with Second Class Honours (Lower Division) (approximately 48.9%), 4,149 obtained Third Class degrees (about 23.7%), while 234 completed their programmes with Pass degrees (approximately 1.3%). To those who have attained First Class Honours, we offer our highest commendation,” he added.

Uduma emphasised that the achievement of the graduands reflected not only academic success but also resilience, character and perseverance.

He also celebrated the inclusion of inmates from correctional centres, describing it as proof of education’s transformative and rehabilitative power, urging graduates to uphold integrity, apply their knowledge to national development, and serve as ambassadors of the institution.

The Oba of Benin and Chancellor of the university, Ewuare II, also called for sustained government funding to strengthen NOUN’s infrastructure and digital capacity, noting that such investment was essential for national development.

He expressed concern over policy limitations affecting eligible NOUN graduates’ participation in the NYSC scheme, urging relevant authorities to remove all impediments to ensure fairness regardless of study mode.

The monarch commended the resilience of the graduating students and reaffirmed his support for the institution’s growth, describing NOUN as a critical pillar in Nigeria’s education landscape.