The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has rejected claims by the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) that it overstepped its mandate by promoting the proposed National Learner Identification Number (LIN).
The development follows a dispute between the agency and the students’ body over the planned learner identification system, which NANS had criticised as unnecessary and a duplication of the existing National Identification Number (NIN).
NANS President, Akinteye Babatunde Afeez, had accused the NOA of going beyond its statutory responsibilities and questioned why the agency was involved in the learner identification initiative.
However, NOA Director-General, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, said the students’ body had misunderstood the agency’s role.
Issa-Onilu clarified that the NOA was neither the originator nor the implementing agency of the National Learner Identification Number initiative.
According to him, the agency’s involvement is limited to communicating government policies, programmes and activities to the public, as well as facilitating engagement between the government and citizens.
He therefore rejected the suggestion that the NOA was responsible for creating or implementing the learner identification system.
The clarification came after NANS demanded that the Federal Government suspend the introduction of the LIN, arguing that Nigerian students already have NINs and therefore do not need another identification number.
The students’ body had also called for greater consultation with student representatives before policies affecting students’ academic records, identity and welfare are introduced.
NANS maintained that while it recognised the importance of maintaining accurate education records, creating a separate identification system for learners could amount to an unnecessary duplication.
The association further argued that government agencies should instead strengthen and maximise the existing national identification system.
Issa-Onilu’s response shifts the focus of the dispute to the actual agencies responsible for developing and implementing the learner identification system, while clarifying that the NOA’s role is primarily communication and public engagement.
The disagreement comes as the Federal Government continues efforts to digitise education records and develop systems capable of maintaining reliable information on learners.
The issue has generated debate among students and other stakeholders over whether a dedicated learner identification number is necessary and how it should relate to the existing national identity infrastructure.
The NOA’s clarification is expected to provide further context on its role in the initiative as discussions over the proposed learner identification system continue.
