The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) will award degrees and diplomas to 7,000 graduates, including three prisoners, at its fourth convocation tomorrow, its Vice- Chancellor (VC) Prof Vincent Tenebe said yesterday.
At a media briefing in Lagos, he said two of the graduating prisoners were from Kirikiri Maximum Prisons in Lagos; the other is from Enugu Prisons.
He explained that the institution,he said, extended education to the prisons because it was a critical tool in the reformation process.
Tenebe said the prisoners were Nigerians, adding that it is proper to extend education to them to enable them lead better lives.
“We are happy that we are playing our role as an institution in the area of giving quality education to Nigerians, no matter the barriers. It is a way of empowering them and making them to realise that good things can really come out from them, and that they can contribute their quota to national development.
“Before certifying them fit to hold our certificates, we found out that they are now found worthy not only in learning but also in character, and that given necessary support, they too can contribute to national development and growth,’’ he said.
The VC said the institution would continue to urge the Federal Government to grant amnesty to prisoners, who had successfully completed their programmes.
“The only thing we can do for now is to continue to appeal to the government to grant amnesty to this category of people, because we feel they must have realised the benefits of freedom. Be that as it may, with the education they have acquired so far, any time they regain their freedom, they will be able to contribute meaningfully to the development of Nigeria,’’ he said.
The university, Tenebe said, would continue to work hard to ensure that its programmes were sustained.
He lauded the government for ensuring that the institution got the support needed to operate efficiently.
Tenebe appealed for increased funding of the institution, noting that its Law graduates were disallowed from attending the Law School because the school is run as part-time.
He rated the school as one of the best in the country, saying its programmes were not run on part-time basis.
Tenebe said the immediate past Inspector- General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, and Dr Stella Adadevoh, who died while tackling the Ebola Virus Disease, would be honoured at thye convocation.
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This is what we would have missed if GMB is the PRESIDENT of Nigeria. This is because he closed down the university when he was the military president of Nigeria in 1983 or thereabout. Consequently. Nigerians should not VOTE HIM IN THIS TIME AROUND. Remember BOKO HARAM says western education is evil and GMB is in support of boko harm and it's ideology.
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