The Senate of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU) has approved a one-year academic amnesty to enable stranded students complete their programmes and graduate, following years of administrative and academic challenges that hindered their completion.
The approval, communicated via a memo dated October 30, 2025, from the Office of the Registrar and signed by Dr. M. A. Agbai for the Registrar, with Ref: MOUAU/R/SEN/26A/VOLIX, followed the institution’s 253rd Senate meeting held on October 2, 2025, at the University Senate Chamber, Umudike.
According to the resolution, the amnesty window, covering the 2025/2026 academic session, will allow affected students to regularize their academic records, complete outstanding courses, and process their graduation under the BMAS curriculum through which they were originally admitted, ahead of the full transition to the CCMAS curriculum.
The Senate stressed that the gesture aligns with the university’s values of fairness and inclusion, noting that only students with no record of examination misconduct or disciplinary actions will benefit.
A senior Senate member described the decision as “a historic and humane gesture,” adding that the university sought to restore dignity to students who had spent years awaiting resolution.
“This is more than a policy decision, it is a moral intervention. We are giving deserving students a second chance to redeem their years of effort,” the official said.
For years, several students who completed their coursework were unable to graduate due to missing results, outdated course codes, and other administrative issues. Some reportedly matriculated as far back as 2005 to 2018, remaining stuck in the system.
Following the approval, the Registrar has been directed to issue detailed guidelines for implementation, while Deans and Heads of Departments will compile and verify the lists of eligible students. The Directorate of Academic Planning will coordinate advisory, registration, and counseling processes to support returning students.
The development has sparked relief among affected families, many of whom described the move as a “long-awaited miracle.”
“We’ve prayed for this day,” one parent said. “Finally, our children can complete what they started. It’s hope restored.”
The amnesty year, which takes effect in the 2025/2026 academic session, is considered one of the most student-centered reforms in MOUAU’s history, combining compassion with institutional renewal.
In a related development, Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, has also approved an academic amnesty programme for students who have exceeded the maximum duration of their studies.
The Acting Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Carol Arinze-Umobi, announced the decision during the university’s 238th Senate meeting held on Friday, October 3, 2025, at the Faculty of Social Sciences Auditorium.
The initiative will allow affected students a final opportunity to regularize their records and complete outstanding academic requirements.
Prof. Arinze-Umobi said the move reflects the institution’s commitment to fairness and support for students who faced delays beyond their control. She emphasized that only students without disciplinary or examination-related offences will qualify.
Guidelines and timelines for the amnesty will soon be released by the Registrar’s office, while faculties and departments will handle verification and academic support.
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