Over 200 university of Lagos law students were barred from writing the
ongoing semester examination for allegedly failing to meet up to the
compulsory 65% of their course attendance.
Reacting to the development, some of the affected students said the rule
sprang upon them without any 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 to SR 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 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.
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 in one semester. Sometimes we have over 200 students
taking an elective course and the class would only accommodate 150
students which means some students would 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.
