The Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Prof. Kayode Adebowale, assured prospective students on Friday that those seeking admission through the institution’s Open Distance eLearning (ODeL) mode will enjoy equal rights and privileges as their peers on the main campus.
“Our distance learning students receive the same certificate as on-campus students upon completion of their programmes,” Adebowale stated, emphasizing that these students are also eligible for the one-year compulsory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), just like their counterparts enrolled in the traditional mode.
Addressing journalists at the Centre, Adebowale outlined the options available to admission seekers, highlighting the traditional physical classroom mode—which necessitates the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME)—and the flexible learning opportunities offered by the University of Ibadan Distance Learning Centre (UIDLC). The latter combines both online and offline instruction without the requirement of UTME.
“There will be no distinction between DLC students and their counterparts on the main campus. They will have access to the same quality of education, same resources, and same opportunities,” he assured.
Adebowale explained that the physical classroom mode is limited by infrastructure constraints, necessitating a selection process via JAMB UTME and POST UTME to ensure manageable class sizes. “Conversely, our Open Distance eLearning mode leverages virtual technology to deliver curriculum by the same lecturers to students regardless of their location. While the physical classroom mode is confined by physical space limitations, the ODeL mode offers a virtual, open, and borderless learning environment, taught by the same esteemed UI lecturers,” he elaborated.
Prof. Babatunde Omobowale, Director of UI DLC, echoed these sentiments, stating that the Centre has significantly expanded access to quality education for working professionals, entrepreneurs, and individuals in remote areas. “The UI ODeL has become a beacon of hope for those seeking higher education despite physical or logistical constraints,” he remarked.
Omobowale further clarified that candidates interested in the ODeL program do not need to take the UTME to gain admission into the University of Ibadan. “If anybody did not write the JAMB UTME, you can come and sit for our examination; if you pass, then you will be admitted into the University. We organize our entrance exam, and if you pass it, you will be admitted to UI through the DLC,” he explained.
He also encouraged candidates who have taken the UTME and scored 40 or above but did not meet the cut-off to consider switching their mode of study to UI-ODeL. “They should be rest assured that their UI education through ODeL will hold the same value and prestige as that of their on-campus counterparts,” he added.
This commitment from the University of Ibadan signals a transformative shift in the landscape of higher education, ensuring that all students, regardless of their mode of study, can achieve their academic and professional aspirations.