By Chimezie Godfrey
A professor at the National Open University of Nigeria, Prof. Obhajajie Juliet Inegbedion, has urged open universities in the country to adopt inclusive frameworks that reflect the diverse profiles of learners.
She spoke on Thursday in Abuja while delivering the institution’s 38th inaugural lecture titled, “Breaking Barriers: Planning and Expanding the Frontiers of the Open University.”
Inegbedion said barriers in open education could only be addressed through deliberate planning and policies that recognise learners’ varied circumstances.
She identified open courses, open science and open technology as key strands of open education, noting that open universities are designed to remove emotional, language and connectivity barriers to learning.
The professor stressed the importance of distinguishing between open and distance education to avoid regulatory confusion.
“If we are truly committed to breaking barriers and expanding the frontiers of open university education, then we must move beyond rhetoric and embrace a transformative agenda that positions open universities as engines of national development, social justice, and lifelong learning,” she said.
According to her, open universities were created to democratise education and dismantle structural inequalities by providing flexible learning pathways.
She proposed reforms, including a formal distinction between open and distance universities by regulatory bodies and flexible accreditation systems that support emerging technologies and modular learning.
In his remarks, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Uduma Oji Uduma, advised professors to deliver their inaugural lectures promptly after attaining professorship.
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics), Prof. Chiedu Mafiana, commended Inegbedion for what he described as a well-articulated lecture and said the issues raised would be further discussed.
The immediate past Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Olufemi A. Peters, attended the event.