Top Five Departments In OAU Where Achieving First-Class Is Barely Possible

The Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) has a reputation for producing a low quantity of first-class students, with certain departments gaining notoriety for their challenging standards.

Over time, Obafemi Awolowo University has fostered an environment that appears to accept student underachievement, perpetuated by select lecturers who convey a discouraging attitude, dissuading students from pursuing academic excellence.

Encounters with pessimistic lecturers who anticipate failure or promise subpar grades regardless of performance are frequent, creating a culture where obtaining a first-class degree is perceived as exceedingly difficult. The OAU academic environment is particularly pronounced in specific departments, where the emphasis seems to deter aspirations for scholarly distinction.

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These departments have experienced extended periods without any first-class graduates, indicating the formidable obstacles to achieving such recognition.

Here are five departments at OAU where earning a first-class degree is notably challenging:

1. Geology Department: Geology students encounter considerable hurdles in attaining top honors, as the department maintains a longstanding belief that such achievement is unattainable. The last instance of the Geology department producing a first-class graduate dates back decades.

Speaking anonymously, a student from the department highlighted the rigorous nature of the programme, citing strict marking criteria by lecturers. Success in Geology demands unwavering dedication to study habits, active participation in fieldwork, and adherence to instructions.

The department’s extensive fieldwork, often lasting several days in remote locations such as Edo and Ondo states, poses significant challenges, particularly for students facing financial constraints.

2. English Department: In 2016, two female graduates from the department, Kehinde Lawal and Roheemah Arogundade, achieved a CGPA of 4.56, breaking a 21-year absence of first-class graduates, following Akinmade Akande, a professor of English, who attained the feat in 1997. Since 2016, no student has graduated with a first-class degree from the department.

Speaking with OSUN DEFENDER, a student from the department emphasised that coping in the department requires a focus on reading, comprehension, and articulate presentation of ideas during assessments.

She said, “coping as an English student in OAU necessitates strong reading and writing skills, with an emphasis on producing thorough and coherent responses, especially in literature courses.

3. Surgery Department: Unlike other aforementioned departments, this department employs a system of recognizing its best students with distinction.

However, the department struggled to produce a graduate achieving top honors for decades until 2017 when a female graduate, identified as Aarinola Olaiya, broke the jinx and became the first medical student from the department to graduate with distinction since 1989. The challenges faced by students in this department in attaining top honors are evident.

4. Chemistry Department: While this department is less severe than Geology, achieving a first-class degree in Chemistry at OAU remains rare, with first-class graduates emerging only every few years. Recently, 499 freshmen failed CHM 101, handled by the department. Both freshmen and long-term students in the department decry the challenges before achieving distinction in courses coordinated by the department.

5. Mathematics Department: This department also faces challenges in producing first-class graduates. The lecturers in the department are very strict with setting questions and grading students.

While maintaining academic standards is crucial, it’s vital to ensure that students receive appropriate recognition for their efforts rather than being deterred by a culture that seems to prioritize maintaining records of no first-class graduates.

While maintaining academic standards is crucial, it’s vital to ensure that students receive appropriate recognition for their efforts rather than being deterred by a culture that seems to prioritise maintaining records of no first-class graduates.