Osinbajo, UNILAG urge wider distance learning to bridge university access gap

Former Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo and University of Lagos Vice-Chancellor Prof. Folasade Ogunsola have called for the expansion of open and distance learning in Nigeria to address the growing demand for university education. This was made during the fifth colloquium of the Distance Learning Institute of the University of Lagos, held in Lagos.

Osinbajo, who chaired the event, emphasized that Nigeria cannot bridge its university access gap solely through conventional campus-based education due to the increasing number of young people seeking admission. He highlighted that more than 2.2 million Nigerians apply annually for tertiary education admission, but only about a quarter are admitted due to the country's historical pattern.

Osinbajo argued that the expansion of open and distance learning should be seen as a national necessity, not a peripheral alternative. He noted that artificial intelligence could enable institutions to provide personalized learning experiences and mass access to students. Ogunsola echoed similar sentiments, stating that Nigeria's large youth population and the need for higher education have made it essential to rethink traditional models of education.

She emphasized that open and distance learning should be valued as much as conventional university degrees and stressed the importance of treating ODL as a core institutional strategy.