The Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, has hinged the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 4) on proper conceptualization of Tertiary Education sub sector. He maintained that all efforts in this direction would continue to be a mirage if Open and Distance Learning approach is not conceptualized to serve as a key ingredient in a long-term governmental strategy for improved.

GALAXY TV reports that the Minister, who was represented by the Minister of State for Education, Dr Yusuf Sununu, made the declaration at the opening session of a two day Stakeholders Roundtable for the Critique and Adoption of Draft Stand-Alone National Policy on Open Distance and E-learning.

He said the focus of Open Distance and e-Learning in Nigeria has in recent years shifted from being something which is just desirable to becoming a reality with the establishment of National Open University of Nigeria, and the emergence of a number of conventional Universities and Polytechnics with the approval of NUC and NBTE.

He maintained that the stakeholders' roundtable is, therefore, apt and timely because it will provide a great opportunity for the participants from the academia, government agencies and private sector to share experiences on technical issues that confronting the operation of Open Distance and e-Learning programmes in Nigeria.

Giving an overview of Open Distance E-learning from inception and it's benefits, Professor, Olubgemiro Jegede from the National Open University, maintained that it would bring education closer to the people leveraging on technology.

On their goodwill messages, the Executive Secretaries of NUC and NBTE expressed the belief that the policy when developed, would harmonize all the guidelines of the regulatory agencies for efficient service delivery.