Minute of the meeting between the DVC (development services), DSA, Faculty Presidents, members of the security unit and a
The DSA started with saying that school management wants to make everything work and that he has heard that there might be a protest coming up before of three reasons:-
i.) online classes
ii.) utility fee
iii.) Mobile data
But the student leaders stated that that isn’t coming from them; at least not yet and also, we choose dialogue and this is the reason for this meeting.
We the student leaders started by stating our displeasures about the online classes as we have continually done from the onset and we talked about the epileptic power supply ranging from how some areas don’t have power supply to the consistent and continuous fall of the national grid.
We also talked about the shabby network in some remote areas. Some remote areas don’t have access to electricity or even good internet connection and that is something that should be looked into.
Every faculty president president could testify to the effect “online classes and physical exams” had on their grades (CGPA) the last time there was something like this in 2021 and many other students in the University of Lagos share this same sad fate.
We already know we have more than 30,000 undergraduate students in the University of Lagos but only 8,000 bedspaces (minus the new private hostels); hence only 30% of the students stay on campus. we then went ahead to talk about how the VC had previously stated that transportation or accommodation isn’t their primary function as a university coupled with the challenges that the online classes pose from some lecturers not knowing how to set up properly, some classes having over 400 people registering for a course and zoom not being able to take more than 300, the impossibility of some courses to be taken or taught online most especially that of those in sciences or people that have practical courses. In fact, most lecturers have complained bitterly about these online classes and have asked we the student leaders to keep asking these questions.
That being said, we proffered a solution to the management that after these hostels that are being renovated are done, the hostels included the previous ones that have been previously and recently worked on (like Mariere) can be opened while work is ongoing on these remaining 5 hostels that they want to work on. It is also important to note that these 3 hostels being worked on were promised to be ready on or before 3 months and it is passed 3 months now and there are no signs of them being ready. Also, the mgt. has no timeline on when these hostels will be ready not to talk about the incoming renovations for 5 more hostels.
The DSA started by saying that the money to renovate these 5 hostels was approved by TETFUND and came the week before resumption so it’s not a matter of why wasn’t it done earlier. He went ahead to say that TETFUND would ask for reasons why the money that was granted is just being idle and not being put into use. Also, we can only be out of school by August and after that, there’ll be DLI and many other programs coming right after and that even by that time due to the economy, the money wouldn’t be about to do what they want to do as regards the hostels so it has to be done now.
He mentioned that the 30% of the students that we claim are on campus/ make use of these hostels are just on a surface and official level and that we all know that this is in most times multiples of three of four because of obvious reasons. He also went further to say that the hostels ready being opened wouldn’t be an option because of how we’ll be having limited options for a lot of people so the question of fairness and how to make distribute the bedspaces satisfactorily comes in. Also, there would be a lot of pressure on these hostels being opened because of the limited options.
The DSA also mentioned that there’s no possibilities or options we might want to come up with that hasn’t been thought of and that for things to get good, some people will have to bear the pain and it’s unfortunate that it’s coming during our set.
He stated that the cost of getting data is more expensive than the cost of coming to school from Sango Ota everyday and these are the things that were factored in before they agreed on the online classes.
He ended by saying that every standard that we want to establish should be for the least capable person as he always says. He also said that we need to think about equity and not equality.
The DSA said that the solution to the limit for zoom calls is to make use of YouTube live as it has always been explained to the lecturers. He said that it is synchronous and live, and that anyone that can’t join the zoom call can be accommodated on YouTube live which can also be recorded.
It is also important to note that the DSA and mgt. said there’s no timeline for for resumption yet and that “worst case scenario – physical exams for first semester”