Deborah recounted that in early September she registered for courses outside the Philosophy department to explore her interests in Psychology. However, she was alarmed that the scheduled time for core courses in the Philosophy department was clashing with her borrowed courses. She tried to rectify it to no avail as both departments were not willing to reschedule classes to suit only one complainant. In a university that encourages taking as many electives as allowed to self-develop, dismissing complaints of clashing periods is no icebreaker for the pent-up tension that comes with navigating the unknown terrain of another department or Faculty.
This corroborates a similar ordeal Awodele, a 400-level student of the Philosophy department faced during his penultimate exams last session. His exam periods were clashing so he had to finish from one exam hall to rush to another which was not an easy feat. Unfortunately for him, by the time he got to the other exam hall, he was denied access to the exam hall. Consequently, he had to carry over the course.
That it is only one student who has an interest in borrowing a course where other coursemates are absent is no justification for depriving such student equal access to lecture periods and examinations in a better mental state.
Also, major students disregard the prism that stipulates respect for persons. Every student should be respected and given the platform to express their opinions or reservations regardless of being a minor student or borrower. The University of Ibadan is a unifying umbrella and an equaliser that bestows on every bona fide student the right to register for elective courses in alignment with the departmental instructions.
Elective course is one of the courses the university offers. It allows students to gain knowledge about subjects of their interest. It increases the units of courses registered for and unlike core courses, a student does not need to pass all electives the minimum unit of courses required to be passed are passed; however, the total number of courses borrowed including Electives are used to calculate Cumulative Grade Points Average —CGPA– at the end of the session.
While some departments restrict students from stepping beyond the faculty while on a borrowing spree, others set a ceiling unit to the course of interest a student might want to explore.
In conclusion, it is incontrovertible that the university is there to fan the ember of exceptional performance in students and to gather them into enviable citizens. For this aim to take root, minor students who mustered the courage to borrow courses outside conventional avenues should be given the support needed to pass the courses without biting their fingers and saying had-I-known.
Disclaimer: the names, departments and levels have been tweaked and withheld to conceal identity.
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