The National Universities Commission (NUC) has approved the establishment of four new programmes at the Distance Learning Centre of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, starting from the 2023/2024 academic session.
The newly approved programmes, to be delivered through the Open and Distance Learning (ODL) mode, are B.Sc Mass Communication, Bachelor of Library and Information Science (BLIS), Masters in Accounting, and Masters in Disaster and Risk Management (MDRM).
This expansion increases the total number of academic programmes at the Centre to 21, up from six in 2020.
The approval was communicated in a letter from the NUC, dated June 11, 2024, and signed by Dr. Funmilayo Morebise, the Acting Director of Open Distance and e-Learning. The letter was addressed to the Vice-Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
Titled “Notification of Result of Programme Pre-validation Assessment Visit to Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria Distance Learning Centre,” the letter explained that the approval followed a pre-validation visit by a five-member NUC panel in April.
The visit aimed to assess the human, material, and infrastructural resources available for delivering the programmes via the ODL mode. The panel’s report, which confirmed the availability of necessary resources and support frameworks, was reviewed by the Commission.
“Having considered the panel’s findings and recommendations that the Distance Learning Centre of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, has satisfied critical areas of human, ODL infrastructure, and course materials requirements for the commencement of the four proposed programmes via the ODL mode, the Commission consequently upholds the recommendations of the panel for the validation of the four proposed programmes,” the letter stated.
The NUC also urged the Centre to implement the panel’s recommendations to ensure the continued quality of the programmes.
