Good day sir, who am I to write to a vice chancellor, sir, with all due respect sir, indulge me to write to you sir, as am just a student seeking knowledge in this citadel of learning, and as such should do the things only that concerns how I should get a degree. And sir please permit my informality in the letter, as I wish to write from a son to a father.
Congratulations sir on your appointment as the 10th vice-chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo university, (Oba Awon Unifasiti, Great Ife, Only Anointed University, Only Aluta University), may almighty God see you successfully through with His wisdom as you direct the affairs of this great institution for the next 5 years.
Sir, without mincing words, Obafemi Awolowo University isn’t great again, am sure sir, that you are quite aware of the recent rankings released, indicating that OAU now occupies the 4th position in the country, behind the likes of University of Ilorin(whom our lecturers go on solidarity strikes for), University of Lagos (located in an state where there are the most distractions for student success), University of Ibadan (whose total land mass am not sure is up to one-third of OAU’s own), etc.
Sir the major issue I want to discuss with you sir, is the issue of what I call HAZING, how do we students rate our respective universities as the best, in Nigeria? A UI student would say his university is the best in Nigeria, simply because, there was a course, he and his classmate did, and out of 87 of them that registered for the course, there was only one A, only 2Bs, and the rest Cs, while 32 people failed it, a UNILAG student would say his own school is better, because, in the same example as above, there was no A, and 43 people failed, nobody would consider asking the private university for his own story, because majority of them passed, hence is school is not good enough, but alas OAU would be the best university in Nigeria in this scenario, because, out of 87peolple, 59 people failed, and the highest was a C, and they were only 4. Sir, my lecturers and senior colleagues would tell me not to complain, because, they also went through the same system, and would even give better/worse(depending on perspective) examples of what happened during their own days. Sir, let’s take examples of the last 20years, the university I believe is suppose to be a place where developmental innovative that drives a nation forward are gotten, but that has not been the case sir for Nigeria, at least not on an expected large scale, that funders of education expect, hence relying on foreign expatriates. Sir, clearly the system of hazing from any argument of those instructors responsible for it, as not yielded any positive effect, as each year, graduates who have been hazed are yet to produce significantly to the development of the nation. Sir, another effect of this hazing is that it makes OAU turn out majority of her graduates having second class lower (2-2, or draw), and Sir, there used to be a fallacy or fantasy that once you present your OAU certificate to HRs(human Resource personals), you would be highly considered, Sir, maybe it was in those days when graduates were few, Sir, with the kind of training we get in this Institution, we are all sure that if we get to the interview panel, either written or oral we shall come out top, but sir, how do we get to this Interview panels? HRs do not invite ‘draw’ graduates again, and that’s the majority of graduates that OAU produce. Sir, we have heard the encouragement words, that the class you come out with does not necessarily determine the level of success in our lives, but sir, gives us the 1st class first. With the kind of exposure(practical self discovery), learning and training we get in this institution, sir if only oau graduates are given the best jobs, Nigeria would be a better place, but sir, you know that hrs retain the best jobs for only the people with the 1st classes, which do not cpme from oau, sir, we have heard stuffs like, the 1st class certificate would get you there, but its what you can practically do that would keep you there, sir, oau graduates, can actively sustain themselves there, but sir, what would get us there, if we continue the issue of hazing?
Summer school.
Sir, there is a trend going on Nigeria sir, in the private universities, and is the issue of summer school, sir, I think these private institutions have reasoned, that there is no gain in keeping students on campus for up to 2 years after the normal date they were supposed to graduate. Sir I humbly suggest that you look into the issue of summer school, to enable student resist the examinations they failed, this would help stabilize our school calendar, ensure that our lecturers mark our scripts on time, and release result on time, this would also aid coalation of results, because now, there is a progressive deadline. And sir, hrs now consider age again in employment, sir, this system would also jelp release more graduate who can go for the nysc scheme, and serve their fatherland.
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