By Izunna Okafor, Awka
The Senate of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, has approved 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Mondays to Fridays, as the official lecture period for academic activities in the institution.
The decision means that lectures scheduled outside the approved period will no longer be regarded as regular university classes, except where the necessary approval is obtained from the appropriate authorities.
The development was contained in a notice issued by the Public Relations Unit of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, which said the decision was reached at the 245th meeting of the University Senate held at the Zephaniah Madubuko Auditorium.
According to the notice, the resolution followed consideration of the report of the Senate Ad-Hoc Committee on Lecture Monitoring, with the University moving to strengthen the monitoring and regulation of academic activities within the institution.
Under the new arrangement, any lecture or practical session that must extend beyond 4:00 p.m. is required to obtain written approval from both the Head of Department and the Dean of the Faculty concerned.
The University consequently warned lecturers against conducting unauthorised classes outside the approved hours, stressing that those responsible would be held accountable for such activities.
The directive further places responsibility on lecturers for any mishap that may arise from lectures conducted outside the approved period without the required approval.
The University, however, noted that where an academic activity genuinely requires continuation beyond the approved hours, such lectures could be conducted virtually through platforms such as Google Meet, Zoom or Microsoft Teams.
Such virtual classes, according to the notice, must also be recorded and uploaded to the University’s Learning Management System (LMS), thereby allowing the institution to monitor the academic activity and maintain a record of the lecture.
The new policy, it was gathered, is expected to bring greater structure to lecture schedules while also providing the University with better oversight of activities taking place outside the conventional academic hours.
The Public Relations Unit further noted that the directive had been communicated to the University community through an Internal Memorandum signed by the Registrar, Dr Chinenye Gloria Okeke; while Deans, Heads of Departments, Directors and Course Coordinators have consequently been directed to ensure strict compliance with the Senate resolution.
The latest directive by the University has, however, triggered off a chain of reactions and counter-reactions on social media, with many hailing it as welcome development, and commending the University for taking such a bold step.
