Towards effective service delivery, the deputy executive secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Ambassador Chris J Maiyaki, has identified full digital transformation and application of computer software as the cornerstone for the effective service delivery of staff working in Open and Distance Learning (ODL) centres in the country.
He was speaking during a three-week intense virtual training on ‘The of Administrative Staff in the Delivery of Quality Open and Distance Education in the Nigerian University System’ for senior administrative staff of National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) in Abuja.
The training had the university’s governing council chairman, Prof Peter Okebukola as the facilitator general alongside the vice-chancellor, Prof Abdalla Uba Adamu, as one of the facilitators.
While speaking on managing e-learning platforms for quality university education, Maiyaki noted that setting up a virtual learning for ODL facilitation through which the students can communicate has become necessary for the optimal functionality of the system.
“For an administrator working in an ODL system, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is not sufficient, but there must be preparedness for full digital transformation, proficiency in the application of computer software.’’
According to him, an administrative staff is not only a stakeholder but a life enhancer due to the complexity of the job that includes managing Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) and supervision of e-examination, which made him an all-rounder in the scheme of things.
In his welcome address, Prof Okebukola stated that the SODTL for Admin Staff on CONTISS 7-15 was geared towards setting up and managing e-learning platforms for quality university education.
He noted that the training was informed by the Governing Council and Senate’s framework of NOUN 2019-2022 transformation agenda.
Prof Abdalla Adamu, on his part, said the training has placed it in a position to train all the 174 universities of the country in the area of ODL.
Adamu also congratulated the participants from across all the study centres of the institution for their resilience. “We are ready to export you to the whole world so that people will know that NOUN is simply the best. We are ready to train other universities because we have embraced the new normal.”
It could be recalled that similar training for the university’s academic staff was conducted virtually two months ago, while another one for the junior staff had just commenced.
About 733 staff from all study centres spread across the country, including members of the university management took part in the training.
