Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Vice-Chancellor, National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Prof. Abdalla Adamu, disclosed on Monday, that 539 prisoners were enrolled in different NOUN study centres for various programmes at no cost.
The NOUN VC disclosed this in Abuja, when he led the president of Commonwealth of Learning, Prof. Aisha Kanwar, to visit the permanent secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Sonny Echono.
He said that most of the inmates chose entrepreneurship programmes, which they believed would help them stabilise and integrate into society after they had regained their freedom.
He restated that prisoners are entitled to free education under the National Open Universities to whatever level they chose to pursue their education.
Speaking earlier, Prof. Kanwar made a passionate appeal to the permanent secretary for Nigeria to be faithful and consistent in paying the annual dues to Commonwealth of Learning.
She also requested that Nigeria should appoint a representative to the Commonwealth of Learning to replace Hajiya Katagum who had successfully served her tenure with the organisation.
Responding, Echono said the provision had been made under the 2019 budget and the ministry would meet its obligation.
He also told her that the process of replacement for Hajiya Katagum at the Commonwealth had commenced.