Identity cards are an indispensable item for students within and outside any campus. This is because of its multi-various values. It serves as a gateway to various services students may need. Beyond serving as a form of identification, it offers safety and privileges within and off campus.
Student ID cards provide students with a sense of belonging, facilitate daily life and offer exclusive perks. In most institutions, students wear their ID cards to maximise the benefits and opportunities available to them. A student without an ID card can suffer untold hardship with a possibility of far-reaching effects. This may range from denial of access to essential services, missed opportunities among many others.
In Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), there are several identity cards each undergraduate student must possess. This includes a hall of residences ID card (strictly for legal occupants), health centre ID card (for health center use only), library ID card (for library use only), and most importantly a student ID card (for examination and general use).
All of the above identity cards are important but the student ID is supreme as it contains the institution name and other important details about each student whose photograph is attached. All of these ID cards except for the hostel and health center are to be renewed at some stipulated time mostly at the beginning of a new session to be considered valid.
Majority of the ID cards possessed by every stale student of the Obafemi Awolowo University read 31st December 2023. The implication of this is that the many ID cards each student is holding are invalid. For lack of valid ID, many fresh (wo)men who had none had been denied access to exams halls.
To reduce the challenge, many departments provided a make –shift means of identification for their first-year students. This is a small piece of paper that reads “To whom it may concern” or “means of identification”, This paper contains basically the student’s name, department and an attached photo passport of the student.
Despite this, some first-year students were denied the opportunity of writing their exams despite presenting this. Stale students were not provided with any form of a valid means of identification since they still have their previous level’s ID card which is no longer effective with them.
In OAU, 200-level students use their 100-level student ID cards, and 300-level students use their 200-level ID cards, amongst others, despite the increase in tuition fees which include ID card fee.
Samuel, a 100-level student of Mass Communication showed his displeasure “I have been using my unsigned course form and Library ID card for all other exams but the Department of Economics invigilators rejected it when I was to write my SSC 102.
SSC 102 is a borrowed course domiciled in the economic department. The department had requested a course registration form signed and stamped by the HoD of each department as a precondition for sitting for the exam. Because of the huge demands for this and lack of time to attend to all, my department allowed everyone with the other means of identification to sit for our exams.
But at the economic department, things took a different turn. Some students were delayed (because they could not provide sealed and stamped paper ID) before they were allowed to write the ICT based exams while some missed the examination entirely because they did not have one. A fault that did not originate from them.
Samuel further explained that the absence of an official and valid ID card made him feel like the 100-level students were not fully recognized as students yet. “Why is it very difficult for OAU to produce ID cards? Inability of the school to do this to me makes it logically unreasonable and unnecessary for some departments to insist on using only a signed and stamped course form”” Samuel said.
We must not forget this is a paper that can easily get torn or messed up. The misfortune of many students missing their exams could have been averted if the management had done the right thing.
Shayo Benson (photo credit: Shayo Benson)
Shayo Benson, a final year student says if he has the power to make a change within the school, students’ ID cards would be the first. He added “OAU management needs to improve its service in this regard.
ID cards serve several purposes. For instance, many final year students writing their projects need to conduct research. This requires them to talk to people outside the campus, Their ID cards serve as a means of identification without this many respondents may doubt them. To be officially recognized as a student, an ID card must be valid and presented till graduation.
It is an age long challenge
Comrade IB
A OAU Alumni, Comrade IB said “Delays in making ID cars available to the students have always been a big issue. OAU is very poor in providing timely ID cards for her students while on campus. I only had access to students’ ID cards my 100-level and 300-level days while on campus”.
School management reacts
In an interview with the Dean, Division of Student Affairs (DSA) Prof John Adeolu Odedire on Thursday 1st August 2024. He said “The management was aware of the students’ plights regarding student’s ID card but it was unintentional. The university wanted to produce a multi-purpose, more functional and smart ID card.
Prof. Odedire, OAU DSA (Photo credit: Adetunji Oluwafemi)
“The school is working on a modern ID that is functional and the process is creating the glitch. Producing the normal plastic did not create the complexity like the new one intended” Prof Odedire said.
He added that the management is trying to upgrade its facilities and also thinking in terms of a smart campus that will require a more advanced ID. The management is coming up with a type of ID card that can perform different functions such as wallets and access.
The management wants the students to have value for their money. So the new ID would be long lasting and will not need yearly renewal. The process is over 80% completed this session. However, the ID cards would be deployed next session and students would no longer have any reason to renew them till graduation.
“Let me acknowledge the delay in the present process. I also apologize to students who had to miss their exams as a result as a result of the management trying to make things better” Odedire said
