Daniel Nworie
The fast-paced academic calendar initiated by Lagos State University is squeezing a four-year program into about 3 years thereby reducing the number of years students spend on campus to acquire bachelor degrees. While the set that resumed in August 2021 finished their final exams in September 2024, the sets after that may spend less if the calendar continues at this pace. This development has sparked mixed reactions from students and lecturers. But are there hidden costs?
If the 6648 students who matriculated at Lagos State University (LASU) in 2021 had been told they’d not be completing their four-year program in 2025 as expected, but in record time, some might have laughed it off. But three years later, these students are facing the reality of graduation — faster than they ever imagined.
Traditionally, undergraduate students everywhere including LASU are expected to complete eight semesters in four years, with breaks in between the academic sessions. However, since the COVID-19 Lockdown almost all sectors (including academic institutions) are struggling to meet up with their calendar after losing months to the lockdown.
In LASU, super fast academic calendars have been the norm in every session after the lockdown. What was supposed to be the 2020/2021 set resumed in August 2021, and since then, the academic calendar has been condensed into a non-stop sprint. The university’s accelerated academic calendar has turned what should have been a marathon into a high-speed race, and it is not just for the 2021 set alone. Every set that came after them has had to fit into this system that packs semesters into a pace so fast it leaves little room to catch a breath.
Each semester is a whirlwind of lectures, exams, and a ticking clock. This rapid shift in the academic schedule hasn’t come without consequences, especially for the students who are living through it.
Impact on Students
“Daniel, I’m not sure i even have what you call a mental health anymore”
These were the words of Ayomide Olubunmi, a 300-level student of Communication and Media Studies when asked how the accelerated semesters is affecting her. For her and many other students, the toll is both physical and mental.
Ayomide Olubunmi
“My life has basically been at a fast-pace since I entered this school. I am literally doing everything in a hurry, and the experience is not sweet at all. It has been bitter. Coming to school, I did not know I was going to be rushed and everything would be this fast. I had plans of combining my studies with as many internships as possible, but at this point and because of the pace, I am not doing as much as I should.
Ayomide Olubunmi(Photo Credit: Daniel N)
Today you are resuming school, and in a matter of weeks, you are already preparing to start exams, plus you have to get involved with other extra-curricular activities to shape one’s allround life. All in a matter of weeks. It’s just a lot.
I don’t think there is any LASUite who doesn’t experience stress and burnout consistently. I don’t even know if I even have any mental health anymore. I am usually stressed out both physically and mentally. 24 hours is usually no longer enough for daily activities, and this is not because it is not enough in the real sense, but because we are doing too many things in a shortened period,” She said.
Ayomide’s frustrations are echoed by her peers, including by Awonuga Mujeeb, a final-year student of English, who also grapples with the academic pace. He said: “It has been exhausting. Well, maybe it hasn’t really had a drastic effect on my learning abilities per se but it certainly has taken a toll on me a couple of times(if you know what I mean). The pressure is annoying quite annoying.”
Mojeeb Awonuga
Mojeed Awonuga (photo Credit: Daniel N)
A LASU student and popular spoken word artiste best known as Debbie black even took to Tiktok to lament about the toll that the fast-paced semesters is having on her mental health via spoken words poem.
Ose ThankGod, another final year student from the department of Political Science spoke to us. He said: “It has been very stressful. But my results have been surprisingly nice because I have had to read like there was no tomorrow as I know there is usually no time. Classes are not supposed to be this rushed.
Ose ThankGod (Photo Credit: Daniel N)
On learning and retaining information, Ayomide says she has been learning, but not sure if she is retaining enough. “Because of the rush, everything gets a bit too cloudy. I have been attending classes and learning, but it becomes difficult and complex to retain a lot of information at the same time because everything is coming at you in such a short period.
In the face of overwhelming stress and burnout, students have devised their own ways of managing the relentless pace, and sleeping seems to be the best stress pill for everyone. “When it gets overwhelming, I just sleep,” Ayomide simply said.
“I am used to being stressed out daily. It is like a normal thing for me. I go to my mum’s shop after classes to help her out at the shop. And finally get home around 6 or 7pm. I just sleep in the night and wake up refreshed in the morning. When I have these stress and burnout, I just try to do what I can do on time, eat and sleep and everything will be alright,” Ose said
While many are decrying the unusually fast pace of their undergraduate journeys, some people like Hassan Abdulraheem, a final-year student are not concerned and just want to graduate and get on with life. “Yes, it has been stressful and i didn’t expect it, but i am glad that i will be completing my degree in such a short time, and get on with my life. Make we do dey go abeg (Let’s hurry and get out of here),” he said
Lecturers’ Perspective
But it’s not just the students who are feeling the effects of this acceleration—lecturers, too, are grappling with the new pace. A lecturer who asked not to be named said that “I wouldn’t want to go into the details, but my personal life was badly affected all in an attempt to cover the curriculum in a short time.”
However, he said that students’ success or failure is down to what the students want and not whether the calendar is long or short. “The accelerated calendar is usually two – three weeks faster than the normal higher institutions academic calendar. However, even if the normal academic calendar of 12 weeks is extended to 16 weeks, students that will excel will, while those that will fail will still woefully fail.
Concerns about Educational Quality
A LASUite who asked not to be mentioned for fear of retribution believes that the quality of education has been altered because of this arrangement. “Education quality is definitely compromised because of this fast-pace. It has been diluted. I am learning what was supposed to take many weeks in fewer weeks.
Sometimes, course outlines are not completed, and even when some of our lecturers complete them, it is usually a rushing spree. Sometimes we cover two or more topics in one class, and you know some courses are just too important to be rushed, but all of that is not even considered. This fast-pace affects the way I learn. Many people just cram. There is no time to even assimilate and put to practise all you are learning, because before you blink, exams could be staring you in the face the next minute.
Dr Boge Faruq (Photo Credit: Daniel N)
Dr. Boge Faruq a lecturer from the department of History and International Relations believes tsuch notion by the students with regards to education quality being compromised is not accurate. “When the calendar was still normal, there were students who were not serious with their academics. For these ones, even if the calendar is now amended to a much longer 20 weeks, they still won’t be serious”
So, it is not a debate of if it is long or short. It is always down to personal discipline and values. Yes it was not the norm before, and if the university has decided to go this way, I am sure they do not mean harm. It means this is what they have to do, and although there may be issues like stress and others, students must adjust and find ways to cope with the situation. Lecturers have done that. Dr Faruq expressed his mind
Dr Faruq also said “For me, I take undergraduate, postgraduate, and even part-time students, and when the new calendar commenced, I found ways around not just covering all my course outlines, but also teaching my students in the most efficient ways without losing the quality” Two of the best students the university had produced were part of the accelerated student, so where does a low quality insinuation coming from, says Dr Faruq
Dr. Boge Faruq
What LASU’s Counselling Unit think?
The head of the counselling and career unit at LASU, Dr. Joseph Ayeni admitted that the stress level is high because of the compressed calendar, “While it is good that people go through this phase, possibly in the shortest period, the truth is also that workload shouldn’t be more than what people can bear.
As the calendar is requiring programs be completed in less than scheduled time, it is always going to put pressure – especially mental pressure on the students, and they may not be able to manage themselves. Obviously, the toll it’s going to have on all the students will be very huge.
Dr Ayeni explained. We know that some are mature, and are able to navigate this situation well, but many young people will not be able to. And recently, we are seeing a lot of people falling sick and visiting the health centre. And also, even for us at this unit, we see students come here and say the stress and load is affecting them.. So this is as a result of the pressure and workload that they have to go through.
Tips on what students do?
Dr Ayeni highlighted certain things students can do during this period. “students have to be calm and refuse to be overwhelmed.. They have to start learning how to prioritise things. Students should ensure no time of theirs is wasted. Students should also learn how to rest. It is so important.
Taking naps can go a long way in reducing stress and giving you a sound mind to face your activities more importantly “Students who are overwhelmed by tight schedule can always embrace the services of the counselling unit. Remember, we are not just just a counselling unit, we are also the career unit”. We will not only give them the necessary emotional support that they need to navigate the workload but also help them plan their work and activities better so that everyone can be very much efficient this time.”
Dr. Joseph Ayeni
#Daniel Nworie, A campus Journalist at LASU, is a fellow of Africa Foundation for Young Media Professionals ‘Campus Journalism Fellowship 2024 and sent this in from Lagos State University
