The聽Women聽Affairs, Federal聽Capital聽Territory Administration (FCTA), Abuja,聽has sought for the partnership of the National聽Open University of Nigeria聽(NOUN) towards聽establishing an聽alternative high school for young girls聽and聽women聽that could not access advance education in tertiary institutions.
Mandate聽Secretary for聽the聽new FCTA聽Women聽Affairs聽Secretariat,聽Mrs.聽Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi,聽who led a 10-man delegation聽on聽a courtesy visit to聽the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Olufemi Peters, stated this on聽Tuesday,聽February聽13,聽2024聽at聽the university聽headquarters in Abuja.
Benjamins-Laniyi, who appreciated the work of the聽VC and his management team, said the partnership聽has become so imperative as her secretariat engages on strategic intervention of persons with disability and communities that are vulnerable within the FCT.
鈥淚n line with the聽First聽Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria foundation, Her Excellency, Hon. Oluremi Tinubu鈥檚, Renewed聽Hope聽Initiative, my secretariat is committed to improving the lives of women by renewing their hope in this new administration.聽We deemed NOUN fit for the partnership because of its uniqueness and its curriculum which we know will fit perfectly to our programme,鈥 she said.
According to the mandate secretary,聽鈥渨e have gone on inspection tour and realised聽(that)聽we have like seven different facilities that we can provide for NOUN for women who can delve into the kind of environment where your tutelage can聽extend to.
鈥淲e are not saying give free education without papers or proper certification, but intervention through your own space.鈥
Earlier, The Director, Education聽Department聽of the mandate聽secretariat, Dr. Mosunmola Jemilat Abdulwaheed,聽stated that partnering with NOUN in line with its curriculum, will聽help the secretariat key-in聽to mandate secretary鈥檚聽passion to take all girls out of聽illiteracy as well as improve and expand the capacity of women.
鈥淥ur focus is on girls and women not that we are neglecting the male gender.聽Our basic focus is on all these聽homes, matured women who have finished secondary schools but they don鈥檛 know where to go or who to help them out,鈥漵he said.
Responding,聽the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Olufemi Peters, said NOUN remains open to cooperation聽and聽partnerships聽with any organisation which would seek improvement in education.
鈥淗aving listened to the thrust of your visit, this fits to聽the聽broadened聽mandate of NOUN with the capacity of bringing people otherwise would have been excluded to skills acquisition or education.
鈥淔or us, it鈥檚 very good that through the instrumentality of the first lady鈥檚聽initiative foundation, the mandate secretary has thought it wise to link up with us.聽We don鈥檛 have much hindrances or encumbrances whether to partake in public project like this,鈥澛爃e聽said.
peters聽further implored聽the delegation to provide the university with the areas they think might be useful and bring out the areas they will want to delve into partnership with NOUN.
鈥淲e are open to suggestions and if they can come as quickly as possible through the office of聽Advancement and聽Linkages, the university will be quite glad to look at it and set the ball rolling,鈥漷he VC聽added.
In his vote of thanks, the Registrar, Mr. Oladipo Ajayi, while appreciating the delegation for the visit,聽said it鈥檚 an honour聽that聽the secretariat deemed聽it fit to partner with NOUN.
Ajayi聽assured them that NOUN is the right place for the realisation of the passion and vision of the mandate secretary and her principal.
Present at the聽visit were the Deputy Vice-Chancellor,聽Academics, Prof.聽Chiedu Mafiana, Deputy Vice-Chancellor,聽Administration, Prof. Isaac Butswat, Deputy Vice-Chancellor,Technology, Innovation聽&聽Research, Prof. Godwin Akper, Director, Advancement and Linkages, Mrs.聽Omorogieva E.聽Ileka, Deputy Registrar, Vice-Chancellor鈥檚聽Office, Mr. Femi Oyedipe, Special Assistant to聽the聽Vice-Chancellor, Mr. Adebiyi Adewoyin, among other staff.