OAU matriculates over eight thousand students despite limited facilities

Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, has 8,158 new students for 2017/2018 session on Tuesday and Wednesday amidst learning facilities challenge.

The matriculation ceremony started on Tuesday and ended the following day, Wednesday.

While speaking at the ceremony at the Amphitheatre of the institution, the Vice Chancellor, Eyitope Ogunnbodede, admonished the newly admitted students to desist from any anti-social behaviours capable of disrupting the smooth running of the university.

He also warned that the university has zero tolerance for cultism, examination malpractices and sexual harassment.

“I will strongly advise that you steer clear from these deplorable behaviours and other similar vices in order to safeguard your studentship and ensure successful academic career,” said the VC.

Mr Ogunbodede said that OAU has the best ICT Facility in the country and promised the students of the readiness of university authority to address issues affecting students as promptly as possible and give priority for the provision of essential needs.

However speaking with CAMPUS REPORTER, some of the matriculated students who have been receiving lectures for the past four weeks lamented the conditions of the learning facilities, including lecture theatres, available to them

“There are limited facilities against the number of students admitted,” said Idowu Ogedengbe of English department. “My class is a typical example, we take EGL101 at 1000 seaters lecture theatre but not conducive because we are more than 1,500 taking the course. What this means is that the size of the classes on campus deny many students access to lectures.”

Another student, Babatunde Ojerinde while sharing his experience said receiving lectures in OAU is “strictly survival of the fittest”.

“Attending classes here is war and it is strictly survival of the fittest especially for compulsory courses. If you come to class 30 minutes before a lecture, you can’t find a seat, especially in Aud or BOO. I have registered with best brains tutors for extra coaching because I rarely hear what lecturers say in class due to the overcrowding,” Mr Ojerinde said.

This newspaper recall that 1,519 students failed CHM101 and over 100 students in the department of English failed EGL203 during 2015/2016 session.

Many of those that failed the courses blamed the poor conditions of learning for their failure.

However, considering the number of students matriculated this year again, it appears that the management of Obafemi Awolowo University did not consider the challenges faced by students.

The OAU example may be a window to what is obtained in other schools. Poor public funding badly affects Nigeria’s education system while some as well accuse authorities of schools of corruption and poor accountability standards.