PYTP: UI Student contracts COVID-19 virus, Programme Postponed, Semesters swapped

By: Ìbùkúnolúwa Dàda

The Practical Year Training Program for 400 level students of the faculty of Agric 2020/21 session has been postponed. This was announced via the minutes of the meeting of heads of departments and PYTP committee members held on Thursday, February 11, 2021 at 9 am at the Faculty boardroom.

During the meeting chaired by the Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture, Prof. O.J Babayemi, he informed members of the committee that one of the students posted to IITA had contacted the virus and went further to opine that the 400 level students be registered for 500 level courses alongside their seniors.

A member agreed to the suggestion of the Dean while another member opined that the programme should not be cancelled but the students tested positive for the Covid-19 virus as it is been done at NYSC camps across the country.

Concluding that the semesters be swapped for the members, the minutes of the meeting reads in part:

After much deliberation on the issue, the faculty anchored its decision on the premise of the university decision during the senate meeting of 22 January 2021 that ‘the’ Academic activities following resumption for the 2020/2021 session should be virtual/online for the first semester and since PYTP Programme will expose those students to the outside world instead of being confined to their individual homes that such programmes should be deferred to second semester

To this end, the faculty decided as fellows

The faculty agreed that practical year courses in first semester should be swapped to second semester, meanwhile there are about 10 courses for second semester and as such should be swapped to first semester while we believe that the situation of the country in respect of the virus would be better by that period.

All students should be withdrawn from all their out posting stations to their individual homes.

The PYTP students will be enrolled for the second semester courses during the first semester of 2020/2021session.

Present at the meeting were 

Prof. O.J Babayemi, Dean, Faculty of Agriculture

Prof. D.O. Adejumo, Head, Department of Animal Science Prof. S.A Yusuf Head, Dept. of Agricultural Economics

Prof. J.O Oladeji, Head, Dept. of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development

Prof. J.A Fagbayide Head, Department of Crops and Horticultural Sciences represented by T.B Akinrinola

Prof. R.O Awodoyin Department of Crop Protection and Environmental Biology, represented by Dr. Sifau Adejumo

 Prof. K.O Oluwasemiire Head, Dept. of Soil Resources Management

    Dr. Ogunwole                Sub Dean (Postgraduate)

    Dr. C.O Idiaye                Sub Dean (Undergraduate)

    Dr. O.W Olaniyi            PYTP

    Dr. V.O. Dania            PYTP             

     Olowu Albert             PYTP

    Eunice A. Ogunjuyigbe        Faculty officer/ Secretary