By Dike Gabriel

The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) on Thursday disclosed that it would meet the one million-enrollment target for students set by the Federal Government.

The Pro-chancellor, Chairman of Governing Council of NOUN, Prof. Peter Okebukola, gave the assurance after the 69th regular meeting of council held from June 20th to 23rd, 2022 in Lagos.

Prof. Okebukola also revealed that 1,229 prison inmates have so far graduated since the revalidation of NOUN by former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

According to him, when the present governing council came on board, the enrollment stood at 250,000 students across the 104 centres spread nationwide.

He said currently NOUN has 600,000 students’ enrolled different courses and that only 150,000 students are active.

Okebukola said: “Council noted with pleasure the increase in students’ enrollment to about 600,000 and out of which 150,000 are active.

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“The council resolved that it would continue to do its best to ensure that the students’ enrollment hits 1,000,000 in couple of years. With 600,000 students, NOUN has the highest enrollment in West Africa.”

He assured President Muhammadu Buhari and Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu that NOUN would meet the one million-enrollment mandate. Okebukola said the university would establish two new centres in Lagos and 20 Kaduna State soonest.

On Law students, Okebukola revealed that the first set of NOUN performed well in the final bar examination. He thanked the Legal Council of Education for the opportunity offered its students and hoped the remaining Law graduates would absorb by Law School.

Vice Chancellor of NOUN, Prof. Olufemi Peters said in the last convocation ceremony, 25 prison inmates graduated in good grades. He stated that the management is working to increase to more centres in the country.

“NOUN is all over the remote areas in Nigeria and that soon the enrollment figures would increase. The council has initiated good policies that would enhance the operation of the university,’’ Prof. Peters stated.