Excitement as NOUN graduates can now attend Law School, NYSC

*As Senate Finally Passes Bill Amending On NOUN Act

Excitement and jubilation on Thursday reigned supreme among most students and graduates of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) as the Senate has now approved their participation in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and Nigerian Law School, henceforth.

A Bill for an Act; National Open University of Nigeria Act (Amendment) Bill, 2017, enabling the NOUN graduate proceed to the law school, after graduation scaled the third reading in the Senate during the plenary.

Graduates of NOUN regardless of their ages have over the years being denied participation for the National Youth Service mandatory for their counterparts from regular Universities.

In the same vein, those who read law from the same University, have not been allowed to attend the Nigeria Law School through which they could be called to bar to attain the status of professionals.

The Senate in its adoption of report on Amendment Bill to the Act submitted to it by its Committee on Tertiary Education and TETFUND cleared the hurdle for graduates of the Open Institution to enjoy similar privileges like their counterparts from regular Universities.

Senator Jibrin Barau (APC Kano North) explained that amendments made in the Act were geared towards changing the negative perception of the public about the University in respect of the word correspondence, which gives the impression that the University is not a full time one and as such, seen as a part time.

Barau said, “These two concepts, correspondence and part time significantly affect the way the public views the academic programme cum courses run by the University which has been the reason why Law graduates of the school are not allowed into the Nigerian Law School as well as the reason for the non inclusion of graduates of the school into the NYSC Scheme on yearly basis.”

According to him, the inclusion of ICT as another means of tuition in the operations of the school was another amendment made to the subsisting Act as a way of upgrading the current teaching model which he stressed, depends critically on virtual learning and students’ individual research.

According to the Committee, the Bill if passed into law, will further deal with the challenge of limited access in the Tertiary Education Sector and by extension, bring the National Open University of Nigeria Act in line with the requirements of the Universities Miscellaneous Provisions (Amendment) Act 2012.

Barau, while briefing the media on the Bill said amendment effected therein “is apt, timely and in tune with global best practices by repositioning NOUN for better service delivery and help in producing quality graduates for the Nigerian society.”

However, the report of the committee signed by 12 out of 21 members has triggered move by the Senate leadership to reshuffle composition of the 68 standing committees.

Senate President, Bukola Saraki gave the indication when his Deputy, Ike Ekweremadu drew his attention to the signing page of the report.