Leading Nigerian university to use drones to monitor exams

folarin okunola

November 24, 2015 1:29 PM

Prof Sulyman Abdulkareem, in an interview with the Unilorin Bulletin, said the drones could be used to monitor the conduct of examinations

UNILORIN

While drones are steadily gaining some prominence in Nigeria, the gadget is still relatively unknown here in Nigeria. Most people don’t even know what a drone is.

However, members of the University of Ilorin drone team are seemingly more concerned about the functionality of the gadget, rather than how aware Nigerians are of it. And that’s why the team is trying to convince the University authorities to deploy drones to monitor examinations.

According to a Techpoint report, coordinator of the drone team, Prof. Sulyman Abdulkareem, in an interview with the Unilorin Bulletin, said the drones could be used to monitor the conduct of examinations as well as general campus surveillance in collaboration with security personnel.

“The use of drones has come to stay because where you don’t want to endanger human life, a machine, which a drone is, can go there and still get the information you need”. He pointed out that “drones, rather than infringing on human rights, actually protect human rights because the man who wants to do evil and knows that a machine can remotely capture his act, will not likely do it,” said Abdulkareem.

READ: Composite retail chain to use drones for door-to-door deliveries

Abdulkareem further reveals that some members of the academic staff have also showed interest in the use of drones within the school.

“I believe that apart from giving practical knowledge to those in Geography, Electrical Engineering and Physics, virtually any Department that may have a reason to capture events beyond what is in front of the camera, which has to be aerially covered, can use the drone,” he said.

Other members of the Unilorin Drone Team include Dr. M.T Yakubu of the department of biochemistry; Dr. Babalola of the department of physics; Engr. Eric and Dr. Ahmed, both of the department of electrics and electronics engineering.

Whether these plans will actually amount to something or a change in university policy depends on if the University authorities are inclined to approve of the Team’s wishes.

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