LASU BSc-HND Conversion suffers setback, may not graduate students

Lagos State University, LASU, BSc-HND conversion programme may have suffered a major setback as it may not graduate its pioneer students four years after commencement.
The programme is designed to enable Higher National Diploma, HND, holders convert to BSc holders against the backdrop of the BSc-HND dichotomy which has over the years put HND holders at a disadvantage in different ways.
The six modules programme which started in 2019 at LASU has dragged on till last year when the final examination was taken.
However, eight months after the examination was concluded, the results of the students are yet to be uploaded.
Although the different departments are said to have concluded the marking of papers, the results are yet to be fully uploaded on the portal.
Results of only four out of the six semesters are said to have been uploaded few days to the commencement of this year’s graduation programme.
Reliable sources in the university said except the results were uploaded and other necessary formalities completed, it was unlikely that the pioneer students of the BSc-HND conversion programme would be part of the graduation activities scheduled for this June.
Although the sources said the Vice Chancellor, Professor Ibiyemi Olatunji Bello, had directed that all the results should be uploaded and other formalities be completed, the ICT Department of the university had been unbothered.
The sources attributed the failure to upload the result on the head of the ICT who has been described as “too powerful” for the V-C to direct.
“Although the V-C has directed that the results should be uploaded on the portal, the head of the ICT is not bothered at all. He is rather too powerful and has his own timetable notwithstanding the directive by the V-C. He lords it over everyone and appears to be untouchable,” one of the sources said.
With the failure of the institution to upload the results of the students close to a year after the final examination, there is the fear that the pioneer BSc-HND conversion programme may not be part of the graduation activities which begin on Wednesday, June 14 and end on Thursday, June 22, 2023.
An officer of the institution who pleaded anonymity confirmed the fear of the students.
He said: “If by now their results have not been uploaded, they are not likely to be part of the graduation programme. The Senate has to approve the results before they can be considered to have been passed.”
He, however, said that that did not mean that they could not get their notification after and before the next graduation.
They would be included in the next graduation programme.
When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of LASU, Mrs. Yemisi Thomas-Onasile, said she did not readily have information concerning whether or not the pioneer students of the BSc-HND conversion programme would graduate four years after it was started.
She promised to make necessary enquiries and get back to our reporter.
However, she did not say when she would.
Her words: “I don’t have any information with respect to that now. I will however make further enquiries and get back to you”.