The Faculty of Clinical Sciences, University of Ilorin, has introduced electronic attendance registration for students at lecture rooms and clinical activities.

Prof. Ibrahim Katibi, the Dean of the faculty, told newsmen on Monday that the e-attendance register was introduced to address students’ absenteeism and lateness to class.

Katibi said that learning medicine is, essentially, by observing and doing, reading and memorising.

“It is an art because you need to acquire some basic tools aside from the theoretical knowledge.

“If a student did not come around and watch how things are done, he or she won’t be able to acquire those skills,’’ he said.

The dean said that some students were found to have smuggled their friends’ names into the attendance list when the faculty was writing the attendance manually in notebooks.

According to him, this decision will stop that and everyone will be properly monitored.

He described the electronic attendance registration at lectures and clinical activities as a lofty one.

Katibi said that it would be difficult for anybody to sign on behalf of another with electronic registration.

“Every student must be there personally to be captured.’’