Over 200 UNILAG Law Students Barred From Writing Exams For Failing To Meet 65% of their Course Attendance

It
has been revealed that over two hundred University of Lagos law
students have been barred from writing the ongoing semester examination
for allegedly failing to meet up to the compulsory 65% of their course
attendance.

According to SaharaReporters, some of the affected students lamented
that the rule sprang upon them without prior notice, adding that the
University’s enforcement of the rule was to reduce the number of
students who get to the final year, and subsequently get admitted to the
Nigerian Law School.

One of the students who spoke on condition of anonymity said; “the
university did this not because they so much care about students coming
to class but because they needed to cut the number of students who go to
law school.

Normally, it is two hundred and seventy students (270) that
get accepted into law school so they are trying to cut down the number
of students before they get to the final year.

He
opined that many students prefer to stay in their hostels to study as
the capacity of their lecture hall cannot accommodate students if they
all decided to be in class. The 400 level student said the faculty of
law annex which has bigger capacity lecture halls does not have a public
address system to amplify the voices of their lecturers when they
teach.

Another student said stated that out of over 300 in his class (400
level) which used to be up to 400 in the lower level several were
advised to withdraw. “If we combine the number of students who have been
stopped from writing their examinations both in elective or compulsory
courses, there would have over 200 students who have missed one exams or
the other and that is just one class. Some students have not written a
single exam since exams started.”

He said lecturers too miss classes. “There were times I went for
customary law classes that the lecturer was not around, about 5 times
that happened ion one semester. Sometimes we have over 200 students
taking an elective course and the class would only accommodate 150
students which means some students who have to stand”.

However,
the dean of the faculty of law, Professor Atsenwa, said the 65%
attendance rule is not new in the university, it is contained in
students’ handbook, adding that there also has been constant reminders
to the students on the rule.

“I am surprised that a genuine student of the University of Lagos
would say he is not aware of the rule, it is in their handbook and at
the back of their docket. I am also surprised that any student would say
they are not aware because the faculties reminded them. It is not a new
rule and their attention was drawn to the rule” the dean said.