ASUU Strike : OAU Student Leaders Disagrees with the Scheduled Exams says it is misconduct
By Okerinmodun Faith Olusegun
The Student Union Acting Committee has guided against the planned misconduct in the organization of Examination in the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife.
This was made known in an open letter which was written to the National Universities Commission (NUC) which was obtained by our correspondent
The statement reads thus, “We write to the body of the National Universities Commission as mandated by its members in respect to the manner in which students examinations for the 2017/18 Rain Semester academic session is being conducted in the Obafemi Awolowo University by the administration”.
“We wish to clearly state that upon resumption of the 2017/18 Rain semester in the university on the 2nd of October, lectures barely began at various faculties and departments until the third week of resumption. Since the commencement of lectures in the semester, by the virtue of the ongoing nationwide industrial action of the Academic staff union of universities, ASUU, certain courses in various departments, particularly in the departments of Botany, Zoology, English, Faculty of Law, Faculty of Agriculture, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Geography, Arts and Social Sciences Education, Facility of Administration (Departments of International Relations, Public Administration, Local Government Studies), just to mention a few, have not held a single class till this moment for some of their courses.
It became a shock to students upon realization that these same courses which lectures have not held, have equally been included in the examination timetable.
This development is outrightly in contrary to the university regulation guiding the conduct of examinations and the qualifications of students to sit for it. According to the regulation of Obafemi Awolowo university, a semester requires about twelve (12) weeks of lectures and a lecture free week before examinations.
Contrary to this, in this semester, some lectures have barely held for more than five (5) weeks. Seventy five percent (75%) of students attendance is also required before students are qualified to sit for examinations, this has not been the case for this semester.
Apart from the aforementioned irregularities, a week, supposed to be a lecture-free week, claimed to have begun on the 7th of January, is fundamentally meant for students to revise and prepare for examinations. Unfortunately, the said week has been filled with all-round lectures and mid semester tests even till Saturday and Sunday in some departments. These same students are still expected to commence writing of examination the following Monday, 14th of January.
Since the supposed lecture free week also, the university library has been operating below standard and closes as early as 6pm, against the usual 10pm.
The students body has taken steps, as resolved by her Congress to engage the university principal officers through written letter to the Vice Chancellor, dated 11th January, 2019, copied to the Deputy Vice Chancellor -Academics; the Chairman of the Committee of Deans; the Dean of Students Affairs, as well as the academic staff unions of the university, with receipts acknowledged by all. In the letter, similar reservations as contained above were raised while consequently seeking an extension in the lecture weeks in order to cover for outstanding lectures, with other necessary conditions for examinations be put in place.
Apart from the possibility of mass failure which would arise due to poor performance of students when compelled to write examinations under the aforementioned conditions, and especially where some courses have not been adequately taught, there is also an incredibility in the value of the products graduating from the university when passed through this substandard process of learning; a big liability on the development of our dear nation and the society at large.
OUR RECOMMENDATIONS:
In lieu of this, we use this medium to call the attention of the National Universities Commission, as a responsible body and arm of the government, to immediately probe into this academic irregularity that is ongoing in Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife before situations get out of hand.
We wish to also use this means to state that the NUC should not just stop at conducting accreditations exercise in universities, but should always table the reports with adequate recommendations to the responsible quarters of the government for swift intervention to save public education from emptiness and total ruin that is fast encroaching them.
It should be recalled that the Academic Staff Union of Universities have been on a National Strike since November 5, 2018 over the poor funding of Federal Universities.
