Charity Nwakaudu, Abuja
National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), has secured the support of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), to expand and strengthen its existing Information and Communication Technology (ICT) courses.
It has also secured the partnership of the National Communications Commission (NCC) to enhance learning through the use of technology.
NOUN said it observed that technology has redefine peoples’ way of life as well businesses globally, hence the need to provide a credible platform for Nigerians to acquire such ICT knowledge that would guarantee their relevance in global discussions.
The deal was sealed when NOUN Vice Chancellor, Prof. Abdallah Uba Adamu, led other officials of the university to pay courtesy visit to Chief Executives of both agencies in Abuja.
At NITDA, NOUN VC intimated its Director General, Dr. Isa Ibrahim Pantami, with several ICT programmes being run in the school as well as new ones that would soon be introduced under the platform of World Bank sponsored Africa Center of Excellence on Technology Enhanced Learning (ACETEL).
Director of ACETEL, Prof. Grace Jokthan, in remarks informed NITDA that artificial intelligence, bulk data, cloud computing and several similar programmes are being designed, and there was need for NITDA’s professional support for the programmes to succeed.
She appealed to NITDA management to assist NOUN with its digital tools as well increased internet bandwidth to enable its students enjoy uninterrupted online classes.
At NCC, the VC was represented by Prof. Nebath Tanglary, and he made similar request, to enable it strengthen its ICT programmes for undergraduate and postgraduate students.
Both agencies, in their remarks appreciated the ICT revolution being championed by NOUN in Nigeria university education system.
They made strong commitment to the request of NOUN, stressing that the collaboration with the academia would herald great revolution in Nigeria’s education system.