OPINION: We are fundamental part of the university: No students, no Unilorin
University of Ilorin, popularly known as “better by far,” has been the university with the highest number of aspirants in recent years, due to its academic stability among other Nigeria universities.
It’s true that the educational system in Nigeria is less favourable to all stakeholders; but students are the most vulnerable of all. The stress they encounter on campus, scary deadlines to catch up with, bulky assignment, fear of low grades, and of course, the pressure to deliver the expected result at home.
Life on campus has been less favourable to the students. Things seems to be heading the wrong way. Unilorin never cease to amaze student, especially the fresher students. Every aspirant is happy to be admitted in a great institution like this but reverse is the case when they get into the system.
A popular dictum says: “When you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” Planning is an essential criterion to considered in any organization of the world. A public institution like Unilorin should always plan for every semester before the commencement of such semester. The harmattan semester is a semester when fresh students will be admitted. All this should be considered when planning.
The current harmattan semester has not been easy for the students. The structure of the timetable is not helping matters, coupled with the fuel scarcity affecting the transportation means on campus. Students have to wake up early only to still meet queue even as early as 6:00am.
“Kilode!” You will ask yourself: Are student sleeping at all? After going through a tedious and hectic day, they eventually get home at dead-hours. On getting home tired, they eat and go to sleep. The same thing happens throughout the week and some still go for lectures on Saturday where they experience similar challenges. The hustling and bustling of getting means of transportation everyday can destabilize students and as well affect them psychologically.
Actions need to be taken by the school authority. We cannot make good grades with these challenges.
They are strategies for failure. Only students who are extraordinary, careful and resistant can be less affected academically.
All other things being equal, Unilorin is a training ground for time management. All these are what make us strong, vibrant and energetic students. Notwithstanding, all this can reduced to a minimal level for a conducive environment, effective learning and proper assimilation.
Unilorin students are clamouring for help with respect to this issues. We can’t do it on our own; we need the school management; we need our lecturers to be understanding; we need the Student Union to represent us well. We are humans, we have fundamental human rights we are entitled to. Even as a student our right should not be trampled upon. We need to have a say! The prons and cons of this: “No Students,no Unilorin.”