PIX: Otukpo centre director
The Director, Otukpo Community Study Centre, 水果派 of Nigeria (NOUN), Dr. Adakole Ikpe,聽has reiterated his commitment to take the聽centre to聽greater聽heights through various聽advocacy programmes.
Ikpe stated this during a chat with聽水果派 News聽correspondent in his office,聽Otukpo,聽Benue State,聽where he said that it聽has been聽his intention to woo聽more students and reach the unreached with the aim of increasing the population of students.
The director said being that Open and Distance Learning (ODL) is the聽rave of the moment聽and the new mode of learning globally, there聽was need to engage the people with word of mouth to tell them what they intend to benefit and why they should embrace the NOUN system of聽education.
For an effective advocacy campaign,聽therefore,聽Ikpe explained that going to the grassroots聽to talk to the people is actually more convincing as their misgivings and questions are answered聽instantly.
鈥淔or advocacy campaign to reach the local communities, the centres in the local areas need to use the local聽radio stations that can reach the grassroots in their environments,鈥澛爃e said.
The director聽said with his past experience as聽the centre director in other places like Makurdi, Ugbokolo聽and聽Sokoto,聽he聽remains optimistic that the experiences will聽enhance his performance聽in Otukpo.
While聽appreciating聽the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Olufemi Peters, whom he described as 鈥渁 working ODL encyclopedia,鈥澛營kpe assured that Peters will take the university to an enviable height.
With the聽present聽technological advancement, he聽urged the university聽聽management聽to聽look into the provision of computers and making available internet connectivity so that the聽centre,聽too,聽can take advantage of the technologies to mediate teaching and learning.
He recommended that the university should look into having a centralised internet system whereby all聽centres will be linked聽with聽each聽other,聽sourcing their data individually from service providers, which usually has connectivity problems.
He also commended the staff of the聽centre for having a good rapport with the students, saying that he always tells聽them that the students are their bosses while they have a job because of them and that since his arrival聽at the centre he had not received any complaint about any staff.
Ikpe then disclosed that Otukpo centre is in聽need聽of聽more staff in the area of ICT and security personnel,聽citing the聽recent vandilisation of聽the electrical fittings shortly before the last examination聽due to the聽inadequate security personnel, coupled聽with the vast land the centre has.
The director also聽appealed聽the university聽management聽and urged them聽to look into the issue of infrastructure in the centre, which聽needs renovation,聽and the need for聽new software, computers and text materials.