From Layi Olanrewaju, Ilorin
The University of Ilorin will not shut down academic activities because of the forthcoming general elections, the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof Wahab Egbewole, said Wednesday.
He however clarified that students and staff would not be disenfranchised as the university had designed a programme “where students can attend virtual classes and vote wherever they are.”
Egbewole made this known while fielding questions from Journalists during his maiden media parley with reporters at the institution, yesterday
“According to him,'”We won’t suspend our lecturers for voting, Unilorin is digitised,” he clarified.
The VC said the management of the university had designed the school’s academic programmes to ensure that all lost academic calendars to the 8-month strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) are recovered latest by October, with a new academic session beginning in August 2023.
He said in the last 100 days of his assumption as Vice Chancellor, the university under his regime had attracted N500 TETFund grants for hostel accommodation for its students, another N400 million for broadband from the ministry of communication and N200 million grant for ICT.
Similarly, the VC said some staff of the school have also attracted a N100 million grants through their research works for the university adding that the university “has patented 18- 20 products of its research works”.
Egbewole also announced plans by the university under his administration to complete its long-initiated Tanke – Unilorin rail transportation system to ease the transport hiccups being faced by the students.
Already he said the university “is engaging the Embassy of China” to handle the project which according to him had been initiated about 10- 15 years ago.
In addition, the VC said the University under his regime was planning an “electric bus transportation system at the micro level” to ensure students have a smooth ride.