The University of Cross River State (UNICROSS) has explained the delay in the release of students’ academic results, attributing it to systemic challenges and the ongoing migration of decades-old records from an outdated portal to a new digital result management system.
The clarification comes after weeks of unrest on campus, with many students staging protests and expressing frustration over the prolonged delay in the release of their academic results, which has disrupted graduation timelines and caused widespread anxiety among the student body.
Director of Exams and Results, Dr. Anderson Etika, during a press briefing with journalists in Calabar yesterday, noted that the delay was not caused by the current administration but stemmed from structural issues inherited from previous management.
According to him, the Vice-Chancellor, who assumed office on January 26, 2025, encountered an inefficient result administration process and an ongoing transition from the old result portal to a new one.
He explained that academic records dating back to the university’s inception in 2002 had to be carefully migrated. “We are dealing with over 20 years of academic records, amounting to more than five million data points. Migrating this data requires accuracy, as each course, department, and semester must be properly mapped to avoid errors,” he said.
The director noted that management prioritised students due to graduate soon, with results from the 2017/2018 to 2022/2023 academic sessions migrated first. He said the exercise involved coordination across 46 departments and multiple courses per semester.
Etika said the new result portal has improved transparency and efficiency in result administration. He added that students now have real-time access to their results once uploaded by lecturers, and any modification requires approval from the Vice-Chancellor with valid justification.
Addressing concerns about additional fees arising from the delays, Etika assured students that graduation would align with their original academic sessions. Extra charges, he said, would only apply to students who personally delayed graduation due to failed courses or carryovers.
He also disclosed that some lecturers and Heads of Departments resisted the reforms and attempted to exploit loopholes in the old system. According to him, the university has taken disciplinary measures, including suspensions and salary withholdings, to ensure compliance with the new result management process.
Etika further explained that the verification process was deliberately thorough to prevent errors that could affect students’ degrees.
He added that only the results of current students were prioritised for migration, while records of former students would be incorporated after the backlog is cleared.
He concluded by assuring students and stakeholders of the institution’s commitment to resolving the issue. “The result portal is a work in progress. We have made significant strides in transparency and accountability, and the backlog will be cleared to ensure timely release of students’ results,” he said.
