NUC grants Open Distance Learning license to 12 varsities

Twelve Nigerian Universities have been granted approval by the Federal Government to commence Open Distance Learning (ODL). This was contained in a Press release by the National Universities Commission (NUC).

The NUC also said only a few of these Universities can run an efficient online learning platform. The commission said there is a big difference between online learning and open and distance learning. Distance learning is a method of studying in which lectures are broadcast or lessons are conducted by correspondence without the need to attend a school or college.

Since the advent of the internet, distance learning has also included the use of the internet as most students receive and write their examinations online. Dual-mode refers to universities that can give instructions in the conventional classroom that is face to face, and it can also give instructions on open and distance learning,. Distance learning employs multimedia, and then it uses online.

Out of the 43 federal universities, 9 were given licences to run both conventional and ODL centres in Nigeria. 2 state universities were licensed to operate both conventional and ODL centres out of the 48 states universities, and one private university out of the 79 private universities was given the licence to operate the dual-mode system.

The 12 institutions that are licensed for both conventional and ODL are: 

1. Ahmadu Bello University – Federal University 
2. University of Abuja – Federal University 
3. University of Maiduguri- Federal University 
4. Modibo Adama University of Technology – Federal University 
5. Obafemi Awolowo University – Federal University 
6. University of Lagos – Federal University 
7. University of Ibadan – Federal University 
8. University of Nigeria – Federal University 
9. Federal University of Technology, Minna – Federal University 
10. Lagos State University – State University 
11. Ladoke Akintola University of Technology – State University 
12. Joseph Ayo Babalola University- Private University

The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) currently operates a ‘uni-mode learning system’. A uni-mode system simply means that the NOUN can only operate through the open and distance learning mode. The institution was not granted the license to operate dual-mode like the other 12.