3 sets of NOUN graduates waiting admission to Law School—Association

The Law Students Association of Nigeria (LAWSAN), National Open University of Nigeria(NOUN) says that three sets of Law graduates of the institution are waiting for moblisation to Law School.

LAWSAN’s President,  Paul Oyemike, disclosed this at the 2nd Annual National Grand Dinner held in Abuja.

Oyemike said that the Law programme of NOUN was duly approved by the National Universities Commission (NUC) adding that the programme was run in accordance with laid down guidelines.

Although, Julius Okojie the Executive Secretary of (NUC),has informed the commission is working with the Council of Legal Education,(CLE) to resolve the issue of NOUN law students not going to Law school, the Council  has repeatedly said  it would not recognise Law graduates of NOUN for admission into Nigerian Law School (NLS).

According to CLE, the study of law must be undertaken on full time basis as it transcends knowledge acquisition alone.

“It is no longer news that CLE has consistently refused to accept the Law graduates of the NOUN.

“As at today, NOUN has three sets of graduates waiting to be moblised in the NLS.

“This rejection to us, is unfortunate and mind boggling taking into consideration the fact that NOUN, NUC and NLS are all of one body—the Federal Government of Nigeria.

According to him, several entreaties and interventions have not yielded any result as their hopes of practicing Law are being dashed.

He said that the continued rejection of NOUN’s Law graduates by CLE amounted to policy somersault on the part of the Federal Government.

Oyemike said that if the political will was there, it would not take the relevant authorities more than one month to resolve the standoff and admit the graduates into Law School.

He said that contrary to CLE’s stance that NOUN’s Law programme was done by correspondence, only materials were issued through the internet, adding that the students attended classes.