As ASUU strike lingers, American online University graduates over four hundred Nigerians
More than four hundred Nigerian students have graduated from Nexford University (NXU), an American online university, for the 2021 to 2022 session.
The on line college in accordance to the Country Director, Olamidun Majekodunmi-Ogundoyin, was launched in the u . s . a . in 2019 and has due to the fact enrolled over 3,000 freshmen in Nigeria.
Though the college said it does no longer think of itself as a beneficiary of the ongoing extended strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), it acknowledged that it recorded giant growth in applications for the duration of the strike.
In her remarks Saturday at a graduation ceremony held at Oriental Hotel, Lagos, Mrs Ogundoyin stated that the American college has partnered with over 50 organisations, graduated over 600 alumni and enrolled about 700 full or partial scholarship recipients.
NXU Country Director for Nigeria, Olamidun Majekodunmi-Ogundoyin
She said: “Today’s event is extremely exciting. It marks a milestone in the company and the education device in Nigeria. It skill quite a few things.
“One, the fact that we can enable and admit several students ranging in the thousands to enter and enrol into an on-line programme that’s very unconventional and very non-traditional.
“Here in Nigeria. We’re graduating over four hundred college students nowadays and we’ve enrolled over 3000 in Nigeria alone. It says something for the future of training proper here in Nigeria.”
Regarding affordability, the online university cited on its official internet site that college students can pay tuition monthly, $90 per month for a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA), and $180 per month for a Master of Business Administration (MBA).
Abah, others speak
In his keynote address, the Country Director of DAI, an international development organisation, Joe Abah, entreated the graduates to preserve studying to accumulate greater capabilities to supply them better chances with employers.
“So the higher the degree you have, the better the probabilities you have, unfortunately, the world is just wired that way, so do supply yourself as a whole lot of a hazard as you can,” he said.
Also talking at the ceremony, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Founder of Metro Africa Xpress (MAX.ng), Adetayo Bamiduro, who is an alumnus of Nexford University, counseled the graduates to leverage the knowledge acquired to create value in society.
“It’s about leveraging this knowledge, this experience, to create actual meaningful value to ourselves and the society at large,” he noted.
NXU duration
Mrs Majekodunmi-Ogundoyin defined that the period of the NXU programme depends on the college students and that it compares to usual universities. She stated its bachelor’s degree runs for three years.
She said: “So the Nexford degree that you’re incomes is in your personal arms so you have the ability to scale as quick or as slow as you desire to.
“On average, our bachelor’s diploma takes about three years to whole in contrast to regular universities
“And for the master’s programme, that’s the Master’s in Business Administration (MBA), you can end it in about 18 months on common however then again, some humans end in less time 12 to 14 months, while others finish a little later if they are working or doing other matters at the identical time.”
Speaking on the college machine and how it benefits students, its Founder and Executive Director, Fadl AlTarzi, stated the machine has been structured to equip college students with the right competencies to meet the expectations of employers.
Founder and CEO of Nexford University, Fadl AlTarzi
He said: “You know, the world is moving virtual, it’s a global grid proper now. If you’re on the grid, you would be capable to access career opportunities with the aid of equipping your self with the competencies that you need.
“Employers in the US, the UK, Australia, and all over the world are searching for talents like we have in Nigeria because there’s a scarcity of intelligence in different markets.
“There’s an abundance of intelligence here. What they need are the proper abilities to go forward. So you’re no longer limited by means of your bodily location today.
On the admission process, he said: “We have a easy admission process. That’s truthful and equitable. Anyone that applies to Nexford will get a selection inside two-three days.
“You want to have prior training and a minimal level of English skillability to equip yourself to be successful at Nexford.
How ASUU strike contributes to growth
The university management said whilst it does no longer derive joy in the ongoing industrial motion through university lecturers, it has recorded extensive enrollment increase for the duration of the strike.
“You know, we’ve been growing each and every year, we’ve been doubling and tripling our student base each year, ASUU strike certainly contributed to boom as well, however we’ve been developing prestrike and we will continue growing publish strike.
NXU Management Team at the 2022 commencement ceremony held at Oriental Hotel, Lagos
“Well we don’t think of ourselves as beneficiaries of this strike, you know, the strike harms college students all across Nigeria and that’s no longer in the hobby of our sector,” Mrs Majekodunmi-Ogundoyin.
She gave an instance of a student who joined Nexford after spending two years in a Nigerian public university.
When requested about Nexford’s relationship with the Nigerian Ministry of Education, each the CEO and Country Director said there is no formal collaboration with the Ministry.
As an American University, they explained that they are licensed and authorised in the US and UK, so being an on-line college has “allowed Nexford to be on hand for any learner all around the world.”
Mr Abah additionally decried the ongoing ASUU strike, noting that the strike is detrimental to the Nigerian training system and the young people.
“It influences their growth and their career. And it’s definitely unfair on the students,” he said.
From OAU to Nexford
In an interview with one of the fantastic MBA graduands, Tosin Nathaniel-Luz who had her first degree in Law from the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), stated the programme at NXU took to her to a “greater level” due to the fact she is now greater equipped with digital competencies as the courses have been greater sensible than theory.
“Initially I had the attitude that it’s just an on-line faculty that shouldn’t take so tons for me but sincerely, I was once greatly surprised because it was once pretty overwhelming and I discovered a lot, it’s way more than the regular theory, it was practical.
“I did a lot of self-learning, I discovered how to use a lot of new tools, online tools, one-of-a-kind applications, and, we took an examination online, and the examination was supervised, yes, an on line examination the place you can’t even do examination malpractice because the laptop is looking at you.
She also stated that her pastime in enterprise made her apply for the NXU MBA programme and she studied extra than at OAU, the place she graduated with a second-class top grade.
“I’ve continually been business-minded throughout school, and I still graduated with a 2.1 CGPA, but I did way a whole lot greater at NXU and got here out with a four CGPA.
“And I suppose that that’s an fulfillment and I’m very proud of myself because I didn’t experience it used to be doable,” she said.
Speaking on the period of the MBA programme, she said she spent two years due to different engagements and confirmed that the training is monthly.
“I spent two years absolutely from 2020 to 2022 due to the fact I took some breaks however I know of some colleagues that stated they finished in six months.
“You can go at your pace and it’s a monthly payment, you’re no longer compelled into paying all at once.”
In his comment, the Speaker of Oyo State House of Assembly, Adebo Ogundoyin, commended the college for giving Nigerian students an choice to earning degrees.
“I can see a bright future for Nexford, I was once looking forward to it to be more of a conservative programme however to my surprise, I see a lot of graduates, I see that the future is bright for Nexford University.
“Most specially enjoy the reality that they combine Tech in education, which is the future, as we all comprehend ASUU has been on strike for months barring give up and the nation governments would urge them to stop the strike however with this platform, there’s a way out for college students for tertiary education,” he said.