The University of Ibadan (UI) on Tuesday said its “Open Distance Learning” (ODL) was invented to proffer solution to challenges of university education seekers.
The scheme, it said, would encourage youths seeking admission into universities but denied by Joint Admission Matriculation Boad (JAMB) cut off mark.
UI said increasing population of admission seekers in the country compared to limited infrastructure and space in universities was a great concern that gave birth to ODL.
Speaking with journalists in Ibadan during the launching of the programme, the Director, UI ODL Centre, Prof. Emmanuel Omobowale, lamented many qualified youths after fruitless years of trying to gain admission have turned to social vices or migrated overseas.
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He maintained that UI, being the first and the best University in Nigeria, is taking the lead to accommodate more qualified candidates via the UI Open Distance eLearning (UI-ODeL) mode.
According to him, all qualified candidates who participated in the just concluded JAMB examination will have the same opportunity to study at the UI Distance Learning Centres.
He said: “Special consideration is available to category of candidates who ranked below 200 in the examination and desire to gain admission into the University of Ibadan, provided they have five relevant credits in WAEC or NECO.
“Admission requirement via the hybrid UI-ODeL is the same standard as the conventional mode, and as stipulated on the university’s website modeofstudy.ui.edu.ng.”
“The UI-ODeL is a mode of studies facilitated by the use of robust educational technologies. At the University of Ibadan, ODeL, we have an integrated educational delivery and management system which is optimised with course webinars that can cater for One Hundred Thousand Learners.”
“After all the enriching interactions, learners are able to meet with their course lecturers face-to-face for revision before examination. Examination administration for learners is made easy with our 1500 capacity Computer Based Test (CBT) Centre with a Waiting Hall that can accommodate 1,000 learners at a time.
“Candidates who sat for the just concluded JAMB Examination and ranked below 200 points in the examination and desire to gain admission into the University of Ibadan that the University has opened access to all, they can now consider to change their mode of study to ODeL on the university’s platform: http said modeofstudy.ui. edu.ng.”
Omobowale said strike by lecturers does not affected ODL because the programme depends on technology
“Obtain our admission form which is N10,000, do our examination, after passing the examination, pay N30,000 acceptance fees, and thereafter pay between N120,000 to N130,000 as the tuition fee.”
He however said their fees was much low compared to what other Distance Learning Centers across the country charged.
