The recent announcement by the Faculty President, Israel Oyebanji, regarding the deadline for faculty registration has stirred a wave of reactions among students of the Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources, University of Ibadan. Initially set to close on June 6, 2025 the initial deadline for school fee payment, the deadline was later extended to July 7, 2025, following concerns from students who felt the timeline was too sudden and stressful.
Students Speak Out: “We Heard Late!”
For many students, the main issue was not the registration itself, but the timing and communication surrounding the deadline. Olamide, a 200-level student, expressed his frustration about the short notice.
“I don’t know about others, but for me, it wasn’t fair. I only heard about the faculty registration yesterday and was told it would close today. I was like, ‘What the hell is this?’ Luckily, it was later postponed, which was a relief. At least we got a little more time,” he said.
George, a 100-level student, echoed similar sentiments, emphasizing the poor timing.
“I feel like this should have been done earlier, even before tests and exams started. Next week will be very hectic for us 100-level students with all the tests lined up,” he lamented.
Angel, another 100-level student, agreed. “We were just told about the faculty registration on Monday or so… Honestly, completing the registration without stress seems impossible right now.”
Financial Constraints Add to the Pressure
For others, the challenge goes beyond communication—it’s about finances. Two of the required documents for the registration are the departmental and faculty dues receipts which both sum up to ₦8,000.
Rachel, speaking briefly, highlighted the struggle some students face in raising the necessary fees.
“Not all fingers are equal,” she said. “More consideration should be given to those who genuinely can’t afford the fee at the moment.”
Abisola, a final-year student, shared that the early deadline was unexpected.
“Personally, I feel the deadline is too early. We’re used to having faculty registration in the second semester, not the first. Besides, after sorting out school fees, there’s barely time left for registration,” she explained.
Ronke also touched on the school fees issue: “The information was passed when the registration opened, but the time frame doesn’t consider those still struggling to pay their fees. Some will still end up registering late through no fault of theirs.”
“I hope the deadline can be extended. It was a struggle for a good number of us to scale through the school fees deadline. A little breather would be nice, especially now that the dues are a sum of 8k combined. I hear there is a fine for late registration.” Gideon said
Calls for Further Extension
Some students believe that even with the extension, more time is needed. Taiwo, for instance, pleaded for an extra week.
“I think the deadline should be extended by at least one more week. This would allow students to sort out their dues and take advantage of the upcoming GES exam week to complete their registration with less stress,” he suggested.
Voices in Support of the Deadline
While the majority called for more time, not all students felt the deadline is unfair. Okonkwo, for one, believes the timeline is fair.
“With the deadline officially set for July 7, 2025, I believe the time given is sufficient for most students to complete their registration without unnecessary stress,” he said confidently.
Similarly, Abigail added, “There’s no problem with the deadline as long as the process doesn’t take days. The time frame should work for most students.”
Special Case: PTYP Students Raise Unique Concerns
One of the most pressing concerns came from 400 level students in the faculty who are undergoing the Practical Year Training Program (PTYP). Majority of these students are presently not on campus due to their industrial attachment, which is colloquially referred to as outside posting. Having left campus early in the session, many were unable to pay their fees on time, making it impossible to commence faculty registration.
“Only a very small percentage of us, those with stronger financial support, could pay early and register. Even the NELFUND financial aid (upkeep) hasn’t been disbursed yet,” one PTYP student complained.
With the registration deadline fast approaching and many of them still off-campus, the PTYP students now face the risk of paying late registration penalties.
“We won’t be back until the end of the session. Now we are left with no option but to pay for late registration,” another student said.
They went on to suggest solutions: “PTYP students should be allowed to submit their fee receipts virtually or, better still, be exempted from late registration charges because of our unavoidable absence. Just because it happened to previous sets doesn’t mean it should continue. This issue deserves attention.”
The Way Forward: Better Communication and Flexibility
From the variety of opinions gathered, it’s clear that the registration deadline has sparked a broader conversation about communication, financial constraints, and student welfare.
While some students found the new deadline manageable, many others felt caught off-guard and unprepared. The general consensus, however, leans towards the need for earlier sensitization, flexible arrangements for special cases, and more student-friendly policies in future registration exercises.
As the Faculty moves towards the exam period, many students hope their voices will prompt better planning and improved student engagement in subsequent sessions.
Editor’s Note: Names of respondents in this article is not their real name. Real names were not used to protect the respondents’ identity.
RENARSA PRESS UI 