Prof. Musa Obalola, Dean, Student Affairs Division, University of Lagos, has assured students of the university of its management’s support to ensure that they covered lost periods, with minimal pressure.
Obalola gave the assurance during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Lagos.
He was speaking against the backdrop of resumption of academic activities in the institution after eight months’ strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
ASUU was demanding renegotiation of the 2009 agreement it entered into with the Federal Government, funding for revitalization of public universities, and earned academic allowances, among other demands.
The union suspended the strike on Oct.14 and directed its members to resume work.
The University of Lagos resumed academic activities on Oct. 24.
Obalola, a Professor of Risk Management and Insurance, said that lecturers of the institution had responded positively to the call for return to classes.
He said that the university began academic activities with adjustment of its academic
calendar before reopening.
The dean said that the academic calendar clearly stated the period for lectures, revision and commencement of examination.
“The university started lectures on Monday, Oct. 24.
“We expect our students to be in high spirit and settle down for studies to cover what they need to cover.
“For most courses or programs, the students were almost finishing their course outlines before the strike. In fact, some have even finished.
“What some of them are going to do now is just revision. Some, who still need about one or two weeks to finish, have been given two weeks to do that and will have one week lecture-free.
“I know it could not have been easy for them staying at home for about eight months; boredom and all must have set in; only very few of them could have been reading,” Obalola said.
On the state of facilities on campus after a long time, the dean said that there were challenges.
He said that some of the facilities needed urgent repairs.
According to him, the university is doing everything possible to provide a conducive teaching and learning environment.
Obalola said that one of the greatest challenges faced by the university was inadequate accommodation facilities.
“For instance, hostel facilities are overstretched. We need to accommodate our students in the face of many other challenges jostling for attention.”
He said that the university had 8,800 bed spaces to cater for about 62,000 students.
“For a four-man room, where we should expect to have just four students, it is not practicable because of deficit in infrastructure.
“Each bed will have not less than 4 persons to cater for, making the total number to be 16. You can imagine the stress on such a facility.
“Almost on a daily basis, we have to repair one thing or the other.
Meanwhile, the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, has expressed joy at the return of students to the university.
He said that all hands were on deck to ensure that students and lecturers hit the ground running to make up for most time.
According to him, although there are infrastructural challenges, the university is doing everything within its power to meet the needs of the students.
“We want to welcome our students back on campus. It feels good to have them around after such a long time.
“We have carried out fumigation and major repairs.
“Having said this, I will not tell you that there are no more challenges but we are working round the clock to ensure that students feel relaxed and hit the ground running,” Ogundipe said.
Commenting, Dr Oloyede Adeola of the Department of Cell Biology and Genetics said that final year students were eager to complete their academic pursuits.
“We all feel bad about the strike; they cannot be final year students forever.
“These are our children and we are their parents, but we want the best for the system so that by the time they leave, they will not leave poultry cages as classrooms.
“All that is required of them now that they are back is to be focused,” Adeola, a Deputy Dean, said.
A final year student, Mr Olusakin Olusegun of Computer Science Department said: “We don’t have any choice now.
“There was a strike but we must graduate and that means working as hard as we possibly can.”
