Prof. Abdulqadri Abikan, the Director, School of Preliminary Studies (SPS), University of Ilorin (Unilorin), says the institution has outlined series of opportunities opened to students of the school.

Abikan told newsmen on Thursday in Ilorin that the Board of the School adopted a policy in 2020, which gives opportunities to students who are deficient in any ‘O’level subject to be given admission into SPS.

This, he said, would be on the condition that such student would have retaken and passed such subject before being given admission into the degree programme.

“Although this was the trend at the inception of SPS years back, due to hundreds of qualified applications into University of Ilorin which was beyond her capacity, those with one form of demerit or the other like low JAMB scores even though they had all their ‘O’level subjects, had to be absorbed into SPS.

“However, with this new policy, those with deficiency in their ‘O’level subjects can still apply but before the expiration of their programme at SPS, they must have retaken and passed the said subjects,” he said.

Abikan further disclosed that SPS is designed in a way that it has the capacity to bank a student’s result for up to two years.

“A student that passes SPS exams but has low JAMB score or has not passed a deficient ‘O’level subject can still make use of his SPS result as soon as he passes his JAMB or the said subject within two years,” he added.

The director pointed out another unique opportunity SPS offers students is giving admissions into programmes that are not available at SPS, but which the student wishes to study at the degree level.

According to him, what is expected of such student is that after being given admission into SPS, he then applies for his preferred course of study in JAMB, after he has passed all his exams, he will then be given admission for his preferred degree programme.

He explained that an SPS student is a priority candidate for admission into Unilorin degree programmes.

Abikan, who a Professor of Islamic Law, explained that for the very first time in the 12 years existence of SPS, this year would be the first time Science students would be having practicals, saying that the school’s laboratory is fully equipped for the purpose.

He added that last year, SPS had a collaboration with International American University, West Africa, The Gambia, where an MoU was signed which gives 60 per cent partial scholarship to SPS students who do not wish to further their education in Nigeria.

This opportunity, he said, is not opened to non-SPS students, while appreciating the Vice-Chancellor, Unilorin, Prof. Sulyman Abdulkareem, for the massive development and renovations going on within the school.

He also appreciated the Board of SPS for their support in the last two years of his tenure.