VICE chancellor of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Professor Folasade Ogunsola, has explained the reason the institution adopted virtual learning (and not physical classroom setting) for its students since the commencement of the first semester of the current academic session.
She said the adoption of the mode is purely in the best interest of the students as majority of them may not be able to afford the high cost of transportation to and fro the campus if they were asked to be coming to school for lectures every day as their hostels are under major renovations.
According to her, “We all know what the cost of transportation is today in the country.
“The cost of production is very high, so asking the students to come to campus from home everyday; that may not be that easy financially. We don’t want to put them under unnecessary financial pressure.
“Aside from that, what about those whose parents are not based in Lagos, who may be living far away iñ places like Port Harcourt, Kano, Akure or even abroad? The question is how would they cope since they don’t have a place to stay in Lagos?
“So, the virtual learning arrangement is temporary and not permanent; thus, students and their parents should bear with the university as the management is working assiduously on the hostels to bring the situation back to normal.”
The vice chancellor, who gave the explanation during a news conference, noted that it had been a long time since the university carried out major renovation works on most of its hostels, and would this time around ensure that those hostels are brought into good condition.
In UNILAG and most other federal universities, hostels are grossly inadequate for students as the majority of them, especially at the undergraduate levels cannot be accommodated in the hostels while those hostels available are mostly in bad shape.
It is only a few students who usually secure accommodation officially in the hostels while some of their mates squat with them, making their rooms overcrowded while others who can afford the rent secure accommodation off campus.
Meanwhile, Nigerian Tribune learnt that the management had mapped out a strategy to accommodate students into the hostels during the semester examination which is fast approaching to enable them to sit conveniently for their examinations.(Nigerian Tribune)
