Sequel to series of controversies that entangled the conduct of the General Studies examination in the 2017/18 academic session.
A news feature "Mass Failure in GST Exams" that was published on our platform showcased the plights of students over the issue and the justification of the University Management over the mass failure of students.
While students attribute the mass failure to the inconsistency in the conduct of the exam, the Division also integrates the reason for the mass failure to the frivolous care the students show to lectures and to the courses entirely.
The Dean of Student Affairs also attributed the mass failure of students to their low attendance in lectures, "why would students not fail when they don't attend the lectures"? the Dean said while reacting to the trend.
It's crystal clear the attempt to "fail" the students who didn't attend the lecture is a method that the division decided to evolve so that students can take coming to the GST lectures seriously.
Although, it's essential for students to attend lecture but is there any justification for the failure of those students who attended the lecture and partook in the test and yet didn't see their results at the right time which after several months their result was released and most of them later failed the course?
Let the bygone be gone but how can the division bridge the loopholes in this session?
To prevent the future occurrence, the University management and the students have vital roles to play in redeeming the chink.
But before then, the lethargy of students in attending GST lectures is alarming.
Most of the students believe that reading the lecture note is not necessary and Past Question Papers alone are enough but the Division has proved them wrong by putting attendance into consideration while grading the students.
To curb the recurring mass failure of students, it's essential that students attend lectures regularly and attempt all the assignments given to them by the lecturers.
This will make them have a good mark in the continuous assessment thereby bloating their chance of passing the course(s).
Apart from attending the lectures for grade, the General Studies introduce students to General Knowledge which is indispensable. After graduation, one may not be asked anything on what s/he studied at an interview but what s/he must know as a graduate, therefore students should take GST courses as important as their departmental courses.
On the other way round, the University management should provide a conducive atmosphere for the conduct of the GST lectures.
Situation whereby students will be squashed in a shabby lecture hall and the lecturer will be delivering the lecture without sound public address system that more than 50% of students who could not make it to the front seat will not conceive the lesson need to be addressed.
It's our humble opinion that the General Studies Division should do proper partition of students to sub-groups in such a way that it will enable the lectures to hold under conducive atmosphere which will be free from rowdiness and congestion.
This method will undoubtedly encourage students to be coming for the lectures.
If due to insufficient lecture halls, the above may not be completely realizable, the lecture halls should be provided with good public address systems which will enable every student in the lecture hall to hear the lesson audibly.
Punctuality is the soul of the administration, despite the fact that it does take some weeks before the division commences lectures for students, some lecturers at their own discretion may decide to waive lectures till their convenient time.
So, there should also be absolute punctuality by the lecturers taking the course so that any students who fail to come for the lectures will be at the risk of their grade point.
It's barely second week after the division has released the lecture timetable some groups have started the lectures while lecture is yet to commence properly in some groups — the Division should take note of this also.
We also concur to the fact that the inconsistency that trailed the conduct of the first edition of the CBT examination was an itching problem which we hope that all the loopholes will be ameliorated this session.
We charge the GST Division to ensure that all the preparations that it takes to conduct the tests and exams are put in place to confront the monster steady fall of the mass failure.
The adoption of Computer Based Test is a laudable development which should reduce the mass failure and not otherwise.
The students offering General Studies can only take the courses serious if the courses are handled by the Division in an appropriate manner.
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