Following the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) extension of the gubernatorial and state assembly elections by a week, several Nigerian universities have announced new resumption dates for academic activities.
The schools had previously been ordered by the Federal Ministry of Education to suspend academic activities. The closure was to hold until March 14, when elections were expected to have been concluded.
However, INEC moved the date of the second round of the country’s general election. It was originally scheduled for 11th March and was moved to 18th March.
Consequently, the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), Lagos State University (LASU), University of Lagos (UNILAG), Lagos State University of Education (LASUED) and Usmanu Danfodiyo University (UDUS), among others, have announced new resumption dates.
The University of Abuja had stated that it is not going on break. It would instead continue academic activities virtually throughout the period of the break.
The spokesperson for Bayero University, Kano (BUK), Lamara Garba, said the Institution’s Senate has not decided on a new date.
The Dean, Students’ Affairs, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (UDUS), Professor Umar Aliyu, said the one-week extension would apply to them. However, there’s no definite resumption date yet.
He said UDUS was to begin a new session by the end of March. Also, the Senate of the institution would have to meet to decide on an actual date of resumption.
Meanwhile, LASU, UNILAG, LASUED and FUOYE have released statements to announce new dates of resumption.
The Senate for UNILAG and LASU approved Tuesday, March 21st for resumption, said statements from both institutions.
The Head of Communications Unit at UNILAG, Adejoke Alaga-Ibraheem, however, said all other activities of the university, including inaugural lectures and meetings (excluding teaching), should continue as planned.
“On behalf of the University of Lagos Senate, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Folasade Ogunsola, FAS, has approved that the resumption of academic activities be postponed to Tuesday, March 21, 2023. However, all other activities of the university, including inaugural lectures and meetings (excluding teaching), should continue as scheduled,” parts of the UNILAG statement read.
Meanwhile, LASU said the ongoing exams will continue on Wednesday 22nd March, a day after the new resumption date planned for Tuesday, 21st March.
cc: Premium Times
