LASU VC Restates Commitment to Digital Education, Signs MoU with VDT

Emma Okonji

The Vice Chancellor, University of Lagos (LASU), Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bellou has restated the university’s commitment to digitalise education across all departments and faculties of the university, through a robust internet connectivity access.

Olatunji-Bello restated the commitment at the weekend in her office in the Ojo main campus of the university, during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), between the university and VDT Communications Limited, a broadband internet service provider.
While Olatunji-Bello signed on behalf of the university, the Group Managing Director of VDT, Biodun Omoniyi, singled on behalf of the company.

According to Olatunji-Bello, “My Vision for LASU is to digitalise education across all departments and faculties with robust internet access, that will enhance teaching, learning and academic research. It is for this reason that we are having an MoU with VDT to provide internet access in our main campus in Ojo and in our branch campuses in Ikeja and Epe in Lagos State.”
With the MoU, my vision to digitalise education on our campuses is about 70 per cent achieved and it gives me joy, Olatunji-Bello further said.

Speaking on the choice of VDT for the project, the VC said: “VDT is a tested and trusted partner of the Lagos State University. We have worked with VDT when I was the Vice-Chancellor of the University and it had always performed well. Before I was made the VC of the university three months ago, we had no internet connection on campus. I had always had this passion for ICT development on campus, so I set up a committee who called for open bid to connect the entire university and its branch campuses with internet connectivity, and VDT applied and won. Today we have signed an MoU with VDT to connect all our university campuses with internet.”

The Director of ICT at LASU, Dr. Toyin Enikuomehin said the MoU signing would help to achieve the vision of the VC, who had always desired to have a blended education for the students, where courses are thought online and where technology will be the driver of the university’s curriculum.

According to him, “Having access to Internet is a sign that we have to be on top with technology innovations and research. With the MoU, LASU will have robust web visibility, which has been the dream of the university administration.”
Giving details of the MoU signing, Omoniyi said though it, VDT Communications would bring her wealth of experience, innovation and expertise to transform and take broadband internet service provision in the institution to a soaring height.

Omoniyi said: “This will decongest the classrooms and enable academic faculties to provide lectures remotely to students, enable the students to receive lectures within the campuses without both parties having to be physically present in a traditional classroom setting. This will also support the admission process of new intake, new classes registration process of existing students as well as dynamic ICT growth of the institution to world
class standard.

“Enhanced internet provision for the three LASU campuses will equally ensure seamless operation and facilitate online engagement of stakeholders for payment, easy access to learning materials, lecture notes, videos and other online resources. The digital world promotes transparency, accountability, smooth processing of administrative activities and communication with each of the campuses.”