Some students scheduled to write SED 001, a special elective course from the Department of Dentistry at Obafemi Awolowo University, were prevented from entering the ICT hall to sit for their examination on Monday evening.
According to the affected students, the exam was meant to take place from 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm. However, the ICT coordinators insisted that students were expected to be at the venue at least 30 minutes before the scheduled time. They also claimed that a memo had been circulated earlier stating that elective examinations would be held between 3:00 pm and 6:00 pm.
Many of the students argued that the memo did not reach everyone. Some stated that if the exam window was indeed between 3:00 pm and 6:00 pm, they were already present before 5:00 pm and should have been allowed to sit for the exam. The situation caused confusion as several candidates arrived shortly after 5:00 pm but were denied entry.
Tabitha, a student from the English Department, said she was unaware of the 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm arrangement. She explained that she had written another elective (SEH) earlier in the day and would have waited if she had known about the extended time frame. According to her, she only received information about the 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm schedule around 4:00 pm and rushed to the ICT hall, arriving at about 5:05 pm. However, she was stopped at the entrance. Tabitha expressed concern that missing the exam may affect her completion of the compulsory six electives required before graduation.
Israel, a student of Accounting and Management, also shared his experience in an interview with an ACJ-OAU correspondent. He stated that he had no prior knowledge of the 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm directive. He had completed an examination by 9:00 am and remained on campus afterwards, only to be denied entry at about 5:09 pm for allegedly arriving late. Israel, who resides off-campus in Modomo, described the situation as unfair, noting the transportation costs and the long hours he had spent waiting. He added that if he had known earlier, he would have either come sooner or utilised the time for something productive.
At about 5:10 pm, security personnel reportedly informed some of the students attempting to enter that the examination had ended. This announcement led to protests and exchanges between the affected students and the ICT coordinators. Some students insisted they had not been properly informed and demanded to be allowed to sit for the exam.
Following the tension, a director intervened and appointed two representatives from among the affected students to meet with the coordinators for discussions. The students maintained that they would not leave the ICT premises until a solution was provided.
The Students’ Union Public Relations Officer (PRO), Olowosile Joseph, later arrived at the scene to calm the situation and began compiling the names of affected students in an effort to address the issue and possibly reschedule the examination.
Affected Students to Be Rescheduled
The appointed student representatives had a productive meeting with the coordinators. According to them, the management agreed to circulate a Google Form to the affected students, which they are expected to fill out. The exam is to be rescheduled before the end of the week.
The coordinators also reportedly instructed that an apology be extended to the affected students over the confusion surrounding the examination schedule.