The Federal Government has pledged to strengthen open and distance learning (ODL) as part of its national education policy to improve access to quality education across the country.
This was disclosed in Abuja at the third Open, Distance and eLearning Association of Nigeria (ODeLAN) International Conference 2025, themed “Adaptive Pedagogies for the Future of Education: Connecting Learners, Technologies and Communities.”
Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Alausa, represented by Dr Kareem Olawale, said the country has made significant strides in reimagining education delivery through ODL, especially in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Nigeria, like many nations, since the disruption of the education calendar during COVID-19, faced the challenge which led to the embrace of open and distance learning, and this led us to re-imagine the traditional models of education.
“This conference provides the opportunity to take those lessons further, moving from emergency remote teaching to a sustainable, adaptive, and inclusive model.”
“I commend ODeLAN for the efforts in building a community of practice that tackles innovations, research, and collaboration in the ODeLAN space.”
“Your work is essential in shaping policies, training educators, and developing tools that will drive Nigeria’s educational transformation,” he said.
Discrimination of ODL students
President of ODeLAN, Prof. Francis Egbokhare, criticized the persistent marginalisation of ODL students, especially in terms of access to student loans and tuition subsidies.
“One still wonders why professional organisations insist that certain courses should not be run through the ODL mode, whereas many of these persons take diverse professional development training through the same mode.”
“The denial of ODL students’ access to government subsidy on tuition and student loans, undermines their rights as citizens.”
“This is a grave injustice on Nigerians whose only crime is the mode of learning that they chose or which circumstances have foisted on them,” he said
He called for urgent policy reforms to eliminate these discriminatory practices in Nigeria’s education system.
NOUN offers support to ODeLAN
Vice-Chancellor of NOUN, Prof. Olufemi Peters, reflected on the egalitarian philosophy underpinning ODL and reaffirmed his passion for the model.
“Those who listened to my inaugural lecture will recall my brief foray into egalitarianism in that lecture. It is still the raison d’être I seem to be passionate about ODL and my university.”
“Therefore, when I was asked again whether I could give an address at the upcoming conference, I accepted and even provided a topic for discussion on one of the two issues that was bothering my mind.”
“My topic for presentation was, ‘Is ODL all about Technology’? For this reason, I reasoned that I could provide a keynote address where I would have the opportunity to provide the philosophical context underpinning ODL.”
He cautioned stakeholders against viewing ODL merely as a revenue-generating venture and called for a professional and noble approach to its implementation.
Prof. Peters also pledged institutional support to ODeLAN for the establishment of a dedicated secretariat.
Call for personalised learning
Prof. Peter Scott, President of the Commonwealth of Learning, emphasised the urgency for education systems to become more responsive and inclusive.
“The world is witnessing unprecedented change, precipitated by economic shifts, technological disruptions, climate change, and global crises. This requires educated systems that are agile, responsive, and learner-centred.
“As the open players in this sphere, our resolve is that education should be inclusive, flexible, and resilient, and equivalent to the skills required for an uncertain future.
“We should ensure that learning is not a one-size-fits-all approach, but personalised, driven by data, and inclusive. These and more underscore Adaptive Pedagogies for Education.”
Prof. Scott also showcased the AMP Actus scheme, also called the Cold Classroom Without Walls, a low-cost, offline learning platform enabling students in remote areas to access digital content without internet.
