Eight UI students slump at exam centre

Eight unidentified Open Distance Learning, ODL students of the University of Ibadan, weekend, slumped at Adebayo Akande E-Centre, Ajibode, Ibadan, after waiting for hours to write the GES 101 examination.

It was gathered that the students were among the over 3,000 students who arrived at the e-centre at about 8:00 am for the examination. Some of the students were from Ivory Coast. But they were shocked that six hours after arriving the centre, the examination was yet to commence.

Standing under the scorching sun, the students began to slump one after the other.

One of the students who identified himself as Micheal, lamented: “It is painful. We are disappointed that the management could not organise the examination properly. They knew the population of student who will be sitting for the examination. This is a compulsory course for everyone. Knowing the huge population and the weather condition, the management couldn’t make provision for canopies, either permanent or temporary.

Ifeoluwa who is also a student of the university said: “There’s lack of coordination and some things that were supposed to be put in consideration weren’t put into consideration. Every department offers GES 101 and they should have created spaces for people to stay instead of letting everyone stay under the sun.”

President of the Student Representative Council, SRC, Mr. Oluleke Peters, said: “This was how many students slumped last year. We hope that the management can adopt better strategy to conduct examination in the institution.

“But nevertheless, suspension of the exam seems to be the best option available because time is already running out and there is risk of having more casualties if the examination is allowed to continue. A number of students that collapsed were rushed to Jaja clinic. We thank God that there was standby ambulance. The students are all in stable condition, and a few have been discharged.”

We learned that the situation was so intense that the management was forced to postpone the examination.

Reacting on behalf of the institution, the Director of ODL, Professor Bayo Okunade, said they had identified the problem and would proffer solutions to forestall future occurence, adding that the management would provide shelter for students during examinations.