Classroom Crisis: AFASites Struggle to Find Space
Oluseun FATOPE
It is disheartening to see students of the prestigious Faculty of Arts at the University of Ibadan migrating from one room to another in search of adequate space for their lectures. The lack of sufficient large lecture rooms has become a persistent issue, affecting every department within the faculty and creating discomfort for both students and lecturers alike. This shortage has led to disrupted schedules, overcrowded classrooms, and compromised learning experiences. Students and lecturers often find themselves scrambling for available rooms, particularly when lectures are rescheduled. For many, this ordeal has become a regular, frustrating part of academic life.
Abigail Okunola, a 200-level student from the Department of English, shared her personal experience with the shortage of lecture rooms. “Some lectures are rescheduled to times that are inconvenient for both students and lecturers,” she said. “This often leads to interruptions, especially when other lecturers who were initially assigned to the room arrive. The class is then forced to relocate, causing further disruption.” Abigail believes that better planning and consultation could alleviate these challenges. She suggests that course timetables should be drafted in consultation with lecturers, ensuring that class times and room allocations suit both their schedules and the number of students attending. “Small classrooms should be assigned to courses with fewer students, while larger classes should be given the bigger rooms,” she added. “This would prevent overcrowding and make learning more comfortable.”
For Olawale Rofiat, another student in the Faculty of Arts, the situation is particularly challenging during General Studies (GES) courses, where finding a room becomes an arduous task. “Sometimes, even when the number of students seems small, there’s no available room because most have been allocated to other lectures,” she said. “This forces some students to stand during lectures because the seats are insufficient.” Rofiat believes that the problem could have been mitigated by providing more seats in classrooms and constructing additional buildings. “If classrooms had about 50 seats or more, it would accommodate most courses with minimal disruption,” she explained. “For courses with large student numbers, larger rooms should be allocated, and smaller rooms should go to smaller classes. It’s as simple as that.”
Surprise Ayo echoed similar sentiments, highlighting another layer to the issue: the poor condition of many lecture room seats. “Not only are there not enough big rooms, but most of the seats in these rooms are in dire need of repair,” she noted. She also pointed out that this problem extends to exams, where insufficient room sizes lead to students being split into multiple classes. “The splitting often causes distractions as supervisors move between classes, and it negatively affects students’ concentration.”
The lack of adequate lecture rooms has far-reaching consequences. Beyond affecting lecture schedules and exam arrangements, it fosters truancy among students who become discouraged by discomfort and disorganization. This issue undermines the promise of a conducive learning environment and tarnishes the reputation of the faculty. Students unanimously agree that the solution lies in proper allocation and improved infrastructure. Large rooms should be reserved for courses with higher student numbers, while smaller rooms should cater to smaller classes. Additionally, repairing existing seats and constructing new lecture halls would go a long way in addressing the crisis.
This issue demands urgent action from the university administration. Without immediate intervention, the Faculty of Arts will continue to struggle with a problem that not only affects academic performance but also detracts from the faculty’s standing as a hub of intellectual and cultural development. The students and faculty deserve better and now is the time to make it happen.
