OAU management insists on conducting examinations amidst threats from lecturers.
Alfred Olufemi
The authorities of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, in reaction to threats of Academic Staff Union of Universities(ASUU) members to boycott the rain semester examination, have insisted that the examination will hold.
It was earlier reported that in an open letter to students on Monday, the OAU branch of ASUU has refused the conduct of examination owing to the ongoing nationwide strike by university lecturers.
Recall that the union of lecturers declared an indefinite strike action on November 4 last year over non-implementation of previous agreements by the federal government and demand for increased university funding.
Several attempts by the federal government to get the workers back to work have failed as meetings held with the union leaders have ended in deadlock.
This news outfit also reported that against the declaration of the ASUU national body, a parallel union, Congress of Nigerian Universities' Academics (CONUA) in OAU had refused to join the industrial action, thereby causing confusion as some lecturers have stopped attending classes while some are still teaching.
Meanwhile, in a telephone conversation with this reporter, the spokesperson of the university, Abiodun Olanrewaju, stated that the management is undaunted by the threats of the lecturers and that the examination will commence next week Monday as scheduled.
"Some lecturers from the CONUA have been working while some of the ASUU counterparts have refused to attend classes. It is not possible for us to boycott exams because some lecturers have decided not to go to class."
Speaking on 'illegal' reallocation of some courses to other lecturers who have no expertise in them as alleged by ASUU, Mr. Olanrewaju said that the ASUU lecturers have decided to withdraw their services and the management has sought for alternatives.
Giving an analogy of a driver that has refused to drive a car, he said; "the fact that one is not driving a car doesn't stop others from driving it. Let them see if the car will not move."
When asked about departments that had shut down academic activities if its not an injustice to the students, he stated that 'no department has been shut down that I know of. But when examples were cited, he didn't clarify.
Mr. Olanrewaju, who described the ASUU members as 'being threatened' also condemned the instruction of boycotting examination given, saying the union is not authorised to declare such in the university.
However, our correspondent confirmed some departments like chemical engineering and botany were shutdown by ASUU lecturers for over four weeks before the holidays.
Students who earlier spoke with this news outfit on grounds of anonymity have lamented the refusal of the school management to extend the academic calendar.
A Part 3 student of Botany told our reporter that for four weeks out of the twelve weeks scheduled for lectures, students in her department have been idle because none of the lecturers attended classes fixed.
Another student from chemical engineering department, asserted that there's no way the students can meet up with the workload without an extension in the school timetable.
A student from English Department said "the attendance of lecturers in his department have not been regular and that several lecturers have given assignments without covering a reasonable length of the topics in the syllabuses."
Speaking with this paper on Monday evening, the Secretary of CONUA, Henri Oripeloye, corroborated the stance of the university.
"We are bound by the university rules. So if the university says exams will hold, so shall it be."
Commenting on the allocation of some ASUU lecturers' courses to CONUA lecturers, he said there's nothing wrong with it, so far it is decision of the management.
Recall, that OAU ASUU lecturers have decided to boycott the examination in compliance with the nationwide strike, which is in full force.
The authorities of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, in reaction to threats of Academic Staff Union of Universities(ASUU) members to boycott the rain semester examination, have insisted that the examination will hold.
It was earlier reported that in an open letter to students on Monday, the OAU branch of ASUU has refused the conduct of examination owing to the ongoing nationwide strike by university lecturers.
"The current rain semester of 2017/2018 session commenced on Tuesday, 2nd October, 2018, while ASUU Strike commenced on 4th November 2028.
Consequently, the semester was barely five weeks at the time lectures stopped, with the implication that the courses have not been fully taught," the letter signed by the OAU Chairman, Adeola Egbedokun, read.
Consequently, the semester was barely five weeks at the time lectures stopped, with the implication that the courses have not been fully taught," the letter signed by the OAU Chairman, Adeola Egbedokun, read.
Recall that the union of lecturers declared an indefinite strike action on November 4 last year over non-implementation of previous agreements by the federal government and demand for increased university funding.
Several attempts by the federal government to get the workers back to work have failed as meetings held with the union leaders have ended in deadlock.
This news outfit also reported that against the declaration of the ASUU national body, a parallel union, Congress of Nigerian Universities' Academics (CONUA) in OAU had refused to join the industrial action, thereby causing confusion as some lecturers have stopped attending classes while some are still teaching.
Meanwhile, in a telephone conversation with this reporter, the spokesperson of the university, Abiodun Olanrewaju, stated that the management is undaunted by the threats of the lecturers and that the examination will commence next week Monday as scheduled.
"Some lecturers from the CONUA have been working while some of the ASUU counterparts have refused to attend classes. It is not possible for us to boycott exams because some lecturers have decided not to go to class."
Speaking on 'illegal' reallocation of some courses to other lecturers who have no expertise in them as alleged by ASUU, Mr. Olanrewaju said that the ASUU lecturers have decided to withdraw their services and the management has sought for alternatives.
Giving an analogy of a driver that has refused to drive a car, he said; "the fact that one is not driving a car doesn't stop others from driving it. Let them see if the car will not move."
When asked about departments that had shut down academic activities if its not an injustice to the students, he stated that 'no department has been shut down that I know of. But when examples were cited, he didn't clarify.
Mr. Olanrewaju, who described the ASUU members as 'being threatened' also condemned the instruction of boycotting examination given, saying the union is not authorised to declare such in the university.
However, our correspondent confirmed some departments like chemical engineering and botany were shutdown by ASUU lecturers for over four weeks before the holidays.
Students who earlier spoke with this news outfit on grounds of anonymity have lamented the refusal of the school management to extend the academic calendar.
A Part 3 student of Botany told our reporter that for four weeks out of the twelve weeks scheduled for lectures, students in her department have been idle because none of the lecturers attended classes fixed.
Another student from chemical engineering department, asserted that there's no way the students can meet up with the workload without an extension in the school timetable.
A student from English Department said "the attendance of lecturers in his department have not been regular and that several lecturers have given assignments without covering a reasonable length of the topics in the syllabuses."
Speaking with this paper on Monday evening, the Secretary of CONUA, Henri Oripeloye, corroborated the stance of the university.
"We are bound by the university rules. So if the university says exams will hold, so shall it be."
Commenting on the allocation of some ASUU lecturers' courses to CONUA lecturers, he said there's nothing wrong with it, so far it is decision of the management.
Recall, that OAU ASUU lecturers have decided to boycott the examination in compliance with the nationwide strike, which is in full force.
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