FROM CLASSROOM TO INNOVATION: UNIJOS STUDENTS BUILD CCTV., SOLAR SYSTEM, INTERCOM AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE

FROM CLASSROOM TO INNOVATION: UNIJOS STUDENTS BUILD CCTV., SOLAR SYSTEM, INTERCOM AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE

Emmanuella Benjamin Nentawe

Ajibola Esther Olajumoke

The Faculty of Engineering students of the University of Jos have developed four engineering projects valued at approximately 11 million naira, demonstrating the practical application of classroom knowledge to create technological innovations.

The projects were commissioned by the Vice-Chancellor, who was ably represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) of the University of Jos - Professor Joshua Pam Chollom. Also present at the event was the Bursar, who was represented by the Deputy Bursar Budget Unit - Mr Samuel Malo; the Registrar, represented by the Deputy Registrar, Council Affairs - Mr Friday Moven Nshem; the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering - Professor Rose E. Daffi; the Deputy Dean, Dr Sunday Iliya; and the HOD of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Dr Olurotimi O. Awodiji, and other staff of the Faculty.

The projects commissioned include: a digital signboard, solar inverter, intercom and CCTV camera system. The Dean of the Faculty of Engineering welcomed everyone present and stated the purpose of the gathering. She also highlighted the projects that were to be commissioned. She stated that the projects were developed from start to finish solely by the students of Electrical and Electronic Engineering without any external aid, under the supervision of their respective lecturers, the Deputy Dean and the HOD of the Electrical Electronics Engineering Department.

Speaking on behalf of the students, Ogwuche Onoja Raphael, a 500-level student of the department, gave a brief explanation of what the project entailed. According to Raphael, the signboard, which is solar-powered, consists of multiple display modules, and it is intended to help display announcements and disseminate important information across the Faculty. The digital signboard can also serves as a means of direction for students, staff and members of the University community.

The solar panel, which is also an important component of the project, is valued at approximately 8 million naira, stated the Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Dr Sunday Iliya. The installation is expected to provide an alternative power source and reduce dependence on conventional energy.

The Deputy Dean further explained that the CCTV security system was also unveiled as part of the effort to strengthen security within the Faculty. The system provides surveillance coverage of the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering and is also connected to the central TV screen, through which camera feeds can be displayed, with an estimated storage capacity of over 2,000 GB and provision for up to 18 channels. The system is expected to support future expansion to other parts of the faculty, including the car park.

The intercom system, also built by the students of the Faculty of Engineering, is aimed at facilitating the fast flow of information across the faculty. The Vice-Chancellor tested the intercom, confirming its functionality. In his remarks, he congratulated the students and their supervisors, noting that the projects demonstrated the importance of combining theoretical instruction with hands-on experience in engineering education. He also spoke about the importance of entrepreneurship in preparing students for life after graduation, noting that entrepreneurial studies were being introduced at the University of Jos to equip students with skills beyond their chosen disciplines and help address unemployment among students who may choose not to practise in their fields of study after graduation.

The projects represent an effort by the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering to promote practical learning, technological creativity and the development of solutions to institutional needs.

Once again, the University of Jos has demonstrated that when theory meets practical ingenuity, excellence is inevitable, Unijos remains committed to raising solution-providers, not just certificate-holders.