The Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan (UI), Prof. Kayode Adebowale, has assured prospective students of the university’s Open Distance eLearning (ODeL) program that they will enjoy the same rights and privileges as their on-campus counterparts. He emphasized that ODeL students will receive the same certificates as regular students and will be eligible for National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) service.
Speaking at a press briefing in Ibadan, Prof. Adebowale highlighted that students can choose between the traditional physical classroom mode, which requires the UTME, or the more flexible ODeL option, which does not require UTME. Both modes of study offer the same quality of education, delivered by the same lecturers, with no distinction between students based on their learning mode.
Adebowale noted that physical classroom learning is limited by infrastructure, necessitating the use of JAMB UTME and POST UTME to manage class sizes. In contrast, the ODeL mode uses virtual technology to create a borderless learning environment, allowing more students to access education without the constraints of physical space.
Prof. Babatunde Omobowale, Director of UI DLC, praised the ODeL program for expanding access to education, particularly for working professionals, entrepreneurs, and those in remote areas. He reiterated that candidates who did not write UTME could still be admitted through the center’s entrance examination.
He encouraged candidates who scored below the university’s cut-off in the UTME to consider switching to the ODeL mode, assuring them that the value and prestige of their UI education would remain the same.