Date: 2019-05-27

Authorities of the University of Ilorin (Unilorin) have began lobbying the National Universities Commission (NUC) for increase in the existing admission quota allotted the institution initially pegged at 10,900, it was learnt.

In deed Vice Chancellor of the institution Prof Sulyman AbdulKareem revealed that Unilorin would admit about 12,000 candidates for the 2019/2020 academic session.

Prof Abdulkareem said the move was to accommodate huge number of admission seekers, particularly now that Unilorin has become one of the most subscribed citadels of learning in the country.

Speaking at the annual breaking of fast (Iftar) with reporters in Ilorin, Abdulkareem disclosed that his goal was to have limitless admission quota but for NUC and Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) regulatory activities.

The VC stated that the allocation of admission quota for students was dependent on carrying capacity and facilities on each campus of the universities.

He added that the main challenge his administration was grappling with was how to provide enough classrooms because of increase in the number of students on campus.

Abdulkareem noted that the university was currently making use of available large lecture theatres to accommodate the students, adding that he had reached out to the Tertiary Education Fund (TETFUND) for support in building large lecture halls.

He maintained that the institution had provided sufficient gadgets in the lecture theatres on campus to make lecture delivery easy for both lecturers and students.

Said he: "My goal as Vice-Chancellor is to have limitless admission quota but we know that is regulated by NUC, and they usually base that on facilities on campus. I must disclose that for 10 years, I was admission Chairman for University of Ilorin.

"So, I remember many times I carried message to JAMB and NUC to solicit for increase in our quota. Even at that, today the normal quota is 10,900 but they are going to give room for alteration and allow us to admit for a session not more than 12,000 Students.

"Our biggest problem is the 100 Level courses that have large number of students, especially if you look at Chemistry, Physics, Maths and Biology that all 100 Level students must take in very large number.

"Till now, we have been having problem. But lately in this session, what we have been doing is using our big Lecture Theatre, Multipurpose Theatre and having enough chairs. I thought I was doing something new but when I got to London, I was told that this is the classroom of the future. If you go to that multipurpose theatre now, we have brought in enough gadgets to make lecture delivery easy for the lecturers and for the students to learn.

"The issue though is that we cannot go on increasing the number, and I have been soliciting for TETFUND assistance to have large lecture theatres that can accommodate large class size. But they are also advising us that when a class gets too large, it is very difficult for lecturers to monitor."