Olowolafe calls for education revolution, defends open learning

Dr. Tunji Olowolafe, the newly installed Pro-Chancellor of Miva Open University, has called for a fundamental shift in how higher education is delivered in Nigeria. He argues that quality education must be accessible to everyone, irrespective of their location, financial status, or social background.

Speaking at the university's first convocation ceremony in Lagos, Olowolafe presented open and distance learning as a powerful tool for democratizing education. He emphasized that this approach can expand access to learning without sacrificing academic rigor. As a physician, Olowolafe believes that future educational systems should adapt to students' circumstances rather than adhering to outdated models.

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Democratizing education does not mean lowering standards. It means refusing to allow the conditions of learning to become a barrier to the quality of learning. It means designing systems that meet students where they are, not systems that demand students rearrange their entire lives to fit a model built for a different era.

"Democratizing education does not mean lowering standards," Olowolafe stated. "It means refusing to allow the conditions of learning to become a barrier to the quality of learning. It means designing systems that meet students where they are, not systems that demand students rearrange their entire lives to fit a model built for a different era."

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Where the student cannot travel to the classroom, the classroom must learn to travel to the student.

He drew parallels to Nigeria's educational history, referencing the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo's initiatives in free education and educational broadcasting. Olowolafe sees Miva Open University as a modern continuation of this philosophy, where "the classroom must learn to travel to the student" by leveraging technology to overcome educational divides. He challenged the notion that open and distance learning is inferior, noting that this perception has hindered investment in a system with vast potential for expanding educational access across Africa.

Addressing the graduating class, Olowolafe encouraged them to pursue lifelong learning. "The credential certifies that you can learn. The real test is whether you keep doing it, deliberately, aggressively, without waiting for an institution to organise it for you," he charged, urging them to be ambassadors of Miva Open University's vision.

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The credential certifies that you can learn. The real test is whether you keep doing it, deliberately, aggressively, without waiting for an institution to organise it for you.