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

Former Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo and the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof. Folasade Ogunsola, have advocated for the expansion of open and distance learning as a crucial remedy to Nigeria's escalating demand for university education. They addressed the fifth colloquium of the Distance Learning Institute of the University of Lagos, themed "Reimagining the Open and Distance Learning Ecosystem: Technology, Policy & Institutional Priorities."

Osinbajo, who chaired the event, stressed that Nigeria couldn't resolve its university access disparity solely through traditional campus-based education due to the increasing number of young people aspiring for tertiary institution admission. He highlighted that more than 2.2 million Nigerians apply annually via the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), yet the country's tertiary education system admitted only about a quarter of these applicants.

Osinbajo argued that Nigeria's projected population growth would intensify pressure on the existing university system, making it impractical to depend solely on constructing additional lecture theatres, hostels, and other physical infrastructure. He emphasized that open and distance learning should be perceived as a national necessity rather than a peripheral alternative to conventional university education.

Osinbajo highlighted that emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence (AI), could empower institutions to provide mass access while offering students personalized learning experiences. He cautioned against merely transferring conventional teaching methods to digital platforms, stressing that true transformation necessitates a fundamental reevaluation of how students learn and are assessed.

Osinbajo further cautioned universities against superficially transferring traditional teaching methods to digital formats, arguing that genuine transformation requires a complete rethinking of the learning process and assessment methods. Both Osinbajo and Ogunsola stressed that universities must address challenges such as unreliable electricity, expensive internet services, and devices, advocating for learning platforms that function effectively on mobile phones and, where feasible, offline.

They noted that the purpose of technology should remain human development, and innovation would only be valuable if it expanded people's capabilities and opportunities.