UNILAG resumes for exams

•Students: we didn’t have enough lectures

by Nigeria Fashion Magazine  August 19, 2021.  The University of Lagos (UNILAG) has recalled students to school to take their second semester examination between August 26 and September 26, 2021.

×However, students say they feel unprepared following a period of online lectures that were irregular at best.“The online lectures were not enough at all to proceed to writing examination.  I cannot say I am ready for the examination because I am yet to cover some of my courses,” she said.The students were sent home six weeks ago following COVID-19 scare on campus.The students have been having only online classes using the institution’s Learning Management System (LMS) since the July 12 closure.A student, who simply identified himself as Oluwasetemi, said the online classes were not enough for him to prepare for the examination and could not be compared to physical classes. He said studying at home was not effective because of distractions.“I am virtually not ready for the examination. Number one : The timetable is coming very late and it is actually choked. I only have two weeks for exams I am writing seven papers and five of them are actually back to back. The fact that we are not in school and we are at home, there are lot of distractions. You cannot really read intensively like when you are in school where nobody is disturbing you and you have enough time to read compared to our homes. Online classes is not enough. It was never enough and will never be enough. Physical classes can never be under estimated,” he said.Mary Janet, a 100level student, complained of the irregularity of the online classes as well.  She lamented that the classes consumed time and much data.For resumption, the university has made a staggered arrangement for students with registered bed spaces to return to the hostels from August 9, 2021.

A statement from the university leadership reads: “Following the incidence of COVID-19 in the University of Lagos, University Senate at its meeting held on Monday, July, 12, 2021 directed the immediate closure of all halls of residence to checkmate further spread of the infection.

“Subsequently, in a bid to ensure a successful completion of the second semester of the 2019/2020 session, the University Senate approved the immediate commencement of online lectures via the University Learning Management System (LMS). The University has also approved the commencement of the second semester examinations to hold physically from Thursday, 26 August, 2021.“The examinations will start with the General Studies (GST) Examinations scheduled to hold from Thursday, 26 August, 2021 to Saturday, 28 August, 2021.In order to ensure the safety of staff and students during this period, the University will adhere strictly to all COVID-19 protocols.“Special arrangements have been made with the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) and Gbagada General Hospital for necessary isolation and treatment of any incidence of COVID-19 case during the examinations. The University Management has approved the schedule of accommodation of bonafide students with allocated bed spaces in the hostels for the second semester examinations as follows: 100 and 200 level students with allocated bed spaces should move into the hostels from Thursday, 26th August 2021 and depart on or before Saturday, 11th September 2021.500 level Faculty of Law Students with allocated bed spaces should move into their hostels on Saturday, 28th August 2021 and depart on Sunday, 5th September 2021. Three hundred level students with allocated bed spaces should move into their hostels on Saturday, 11th September 2021 and depart on Saturday, 18th September 2021.400 and 500 level students with allocated bed spaces should move into their hostels on Saturday, 18th September 2021 and depart on Sunday, 26th September 2021.