Anxiety Grips UDUS Students Over Upcoming Examination -By Abdulrasheed Akere Abdulkareem

According to the approved academic calendar released by the management of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (UDUS), for the 2020/2021 academic session, the university first-semester examination will commence on Monday, 10 January 2022.

In compliance with the above schedule, the management released a general timetable on Monday, 20 December 2021, for the examination. This has triggered the students to start preparing ahead of the examination.

The students were happy and curious to see the end of the first semester. Contrarily, they are expressing their anxiety because they are facing some challenges regarding the forthcoming examination.

Students Reveal their Ordeals

Suleiman Issa, a 200-Level student from the Faculty of Agriculture has disclosed his challenges to PEN PRESS, noting that while other students were reading for examination, he and his coursemates were reading for the continuous assessment C. A because some of their lecturers were yet to conduct their tests.

“As far as my faculty is concerned, during the examination period, we are still going to be writing C.A test, for instance, ANI 204 C. A test will be held on Thursday, 13 January 2022 which is a day after our GST 213 CBT examination,” he asserted.

Another student, Henry Kingsley, a 100-Level student from Biology Department also unveiled his difficulty. He stated that what he was facing was the phobia for the examination questions because some of the Computer Based Test (CBT) questions are usually not complete, especially calculation courses like Physics, and it does give room for the wrong answers.

“Some of the questions usually don’t have the correct answers in their options, so my plea is to make sure that the CBT questions are well programmed,” he added.

Shuaib Yahyah, a 100-Level student of Medical Laboratory Sciences (MLS) said that he found it difficult to study for the examination due to the harsh weather of Sokoto State.

“The weather is very cold. Most especially at night,” he lamented.

In his own ordeal, Muhammad Aminu Kalgo, a 200-Level student of Law bemoaned that he don’t have enough time to study.

“I don’t have enough time to study for my forthcoming examination because the weather impedes me from staying too long at night class while the day is still full of lectures,” he complained.

A female student, Faith Ibitokun, a 200-Level student of Education and Biology said that she was facing two challenges in preparation for the forthcoming examination.

“Lateness in releasing handouts by some lecturers and insecurity when coming back from night class, because most areas around girl hostels have no street lights.

“The fear of insecurity made me always leave night class earlier than I intended, leaving a lot of handouts uncovered which I fear may lead to my poor performance in the examination,” she added.

Abayomi Amos, a 200-Level student of Political Science also said that his first problem was the general timetable released in which the fixture of his courses was so fused close to each another, adding that it made him lack the focus of how to start the preparation.

“I developed a personal study timetable for myself as a way to catch up with the examination schedule but I’m unable to follow it all through because I’m forgetting whatsoever I have read before so, I need to read and re-read before I could understand some concept, which ends up consuming my time,” he reeled out.

Muhammad Muhammad, a 200-Level student of Computer Science said that the challenges he was facing concerning his department were that most of their lecturers started rushing them with fix lectures and C. A test at the time they are supposed to start preparing for the examination

Muhammad Sherifdeen, a 200-Level student of Education Chemistry also confessed that the problem he is facing in preparing for the upcoming examination was about their C. A test result.

“If our CHM 210 test result was released as they did for CHM 213, I will know my weak point and know where to strive harder ahead of the examination,” he complained.

Ibrahim Ibn Hussain from the Faculty of Education and Extension Services (FEES) said that ‘SAPA’ (financial brokenness) was the bottom line of all his challenges.

He complained that if he had money, he would be able to buy everything that would promote his reading for the coming examination.

“It will be expedient to purchase socks, cardigan, mosquito net, head warmer, and other things that can protect me from the natural catastrophe if I had money,” he confessed.

Student Explain Causes of Challenges

According to Oluwafemi Abegunde, a 400-Level student from the Department of Forestry and Environment disclosed that the first thing that causes challenges to the student is the tension which results in examination fever because most of their handouts are bulky, which make students not know where to read and what they will meet in the examination.

“This is why some students do request for Area of Concentration (AOC) from the lecturer, and this can end up in examination malpractice,” he explained.

He continued that another cause of the challenge was financial problems. He added that if students lack the money, they will not be able to assimilate while reading, even if they attempted to read, their minds would be somewhere else, thinking of what to eat,” he added.

Abegunde also added that the unavailability of light in lecture halls, most especially at night, also caused challenges for the student.

He continued: “It’s not conducive to hold torchlight while reading, even some students may not have a light on their phone.”

Students’ Union CTC Chairman Reacts

In an interview with the Chairman of the Students’ Union Caretaker Committee (SU CTC), Comrade Muhammad Shamsudeen Umar, a 400-Level student of Law, noted that all challenges raised concerning weather conditions are irrelevant because the weather is natural and nature cannot be cheated.

“Even if everyone is at home, we will also experience this kind of weather challenge,” he said.

He added that everyone has to face challenges and their ability to comprehend, endure and conquer the challenges is what makes a man.

“Regarding the issues of lack of water and blackout in some classes, the management is trying their best to make sure everything fits into proper position, even Tuesday, 4th January 2022, I discussed it with the Dean Students’ Affairs,” he assured.

The chairman also responded to those that complained about their course fixtures being too close to one another in the timetable released, or sitting for two examinations in a day, stating that there is nothing the management will do to it.

“It is only if two courses clash that the management can intervene,” he said.

He also reminded everyone to be aware of the new revision of the university examination rules and regulations noting that no one should go to the examination venue with his or her handset and anything that can implicate him or her.

The chairman advised all students to read, read and pray so that they can come out in flying colours. He also warned every student to stay away from examination malpractice.

“Its penalty can cause them to be expelled from the university,” he warned.

Dean of Students’ Affairs Reacts

While speaking with PEN PRESS UDUS, the Dean of Students Affairs, Prof. Aminu Muhammad Mode stated that he was not aware of the blackout in the B09 lecture hall. He said that the only hall the school was aware of was the A10 lecture hall, where its electricity had been fixed.

“Whenever examination is approaching, it is our tradition in UDUS to go round the campus to see where there is a problem so that we can provide a solution to it,” the Dean said.

He added that school management is after students’ comfortability.

“We can’t know all that is happening outside there unless we are informed, so whenever there is chaos on campus, don’t hesitate to call our attention and we will attend to it because it’s our duty,” he added.

The Dean of Students’ Affairs commended the effort of this reporter for calling their attention to the happenings on campus. He also urged this reporter to go round the classes at night to confirm where else there are blackouts.

The Dean also supported the stance of the Students’ Union caretaker committee on the cancellation of buying faculty or departmental association receipts.

“All students should not pay any penny to anyone to sign their course registration forms, if anyone wishes to contribute to his or her faculty or departmental association, that can be done voluntarily, not compulsorily,” he disclosed.

Abdulrasheed Akere Abdulkareem is an Education Biology student at Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto (UDUS), he can be reach via rashworld2000alive@gmail.com, 09137207766