Jam-packed exam hall: Stakeholders call for roundtable meeting on LAUTECH Iseyin campus (photos/videos)
Khalid ABRAHAM
Students of the College of Agricultural Sciences and Renewable Natural Resources Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, LAUTECH, Iseyin campus, have again lamented their fate over the institution’s readiness to run a successful programme that will impact them adequately in their academic pursuit.
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This is as videos emerged of an examination conduct in a hall in the campus which shows students writing the first semester exam this week. They were closely seated which made a student to describe the scenario thus, “we are often packed like sardines when we sit for exams.”
A statement, titled, “LAUTECH – Iseyin campus is a political institution” written, unanimously, by another group of students also captures the unsavoury condition at the campus.
It states, ‘Our experience as students at Iseyin is nothing to write home about. The quality of education has been bastardized, the lecture class is like commodity market, the assessment is like lecture or quiz period. No quality assessment, even Examinations is like viewing centre. The so called practicals that Agricultural programme is known for had turned to alternative to practical.”
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The statement further notes, “The Governor and our parents should ask the College staff and the University management if these are false. Were they trained under this type of condition?. The Provost used to run up and down claiming that he’s coordinating us during Examinations and Tests, he used to move around with stick as if we are animals.
“If we graduated under this condition, we’re doomed because we will be half baked graduates.”
They now declared painfully, “If we are not returned to Teaching and Research Farm in Ogbomoso to augment our practical experience, posterity will not forgive those that forced us to Iseyin, as we were not admitted to study in Iseyin.”
A video footage of an exam at Iseyin campus
ogbomosoinsightonline.com reports Thursday the Provost of the college, Prof Gbenga Adewale, allegedly slapped a female student during an altercation prior to an exam.
Another video footage scene of exam hall at Iseyin campus
The underlying factor causing scenarios like these is inadequate facilities and preparations, a lecturer who spoke on condition of anonymity posited.
Video scene of an ongoing examination at the agric faculty Ogbomoso main campus
“We have said it many times the setting up of the college was faulty, the foundation was not solid, it didn’t follow convention,” he said.
“What prompted the Thursday ugly incident is that most serious students believe the Iseyin campus is a scam because there is no adequate teaching.
“Secondly, if the students finish there, their certificate will be questionable because there is no NUC approval to that Iseyin campus. So, it is important government does not turn a deaf ear.”
A clarion call is subsequently made, “There should be a roundtable meeting that will involve all stakeholders – the parents, management, lecturers, students and even the government, for clarity sake. That place will be better if it is allowed to grow progressivegly, not with a large crowd. Government should not pretend, there should be a roundtable meeting.
“There is nowhere we agreed that we were relocating the faculty of agric to Iseyin campus. It is Professor Adewale who wants to be Provost at all cost and subsequently become Vice Chancellor that railroaded everyone to Iseyin campus. Do you know up till now they are searching the archive to see where Senate approved the relocation of agric faculty to Iseyin campus, but they can never find it because Senate never approved the faculty should be relocated to Iseyin.”
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The need for a roundtable meeting to holistically look at the situation he emphasizes. “If there is a roundtable meeting the lecturers will be able to state their position. Relocation is not something that is easy, not for a faculty like that of agric that has existed for that number of years. Government should not pretend, a roundtable meeting should be held with stakeholders including students and lecturers to hear their experiences about the Iseyin campus.”
Reminded that government by fiat has always created satellite campuses for universities owned by them, but he stressed, “If that must be done it must be with the knowledge of the Senate. It was sometimes mooted at KWASU (Kwara State University), but the staff insisted it would not work and it was suspended. Relocation is not something that is easy. If it were a new programme it may be easy but to move an old faculty that is practical based is something herculean. An institute of agriculture affiliated with LAUTECH is another alternative.”
The campus was established in 2023 and pioneered by the then 200 level agricultural science students of the main campus of the institution.
