As the academic session at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife gradually unfolds, many students continue to seek clarity on how their academic performance is evaluated—particularly through the CGPA and GPA systems. The Nigeria Education News team visited the campus and engaged students across various faculties to understand their awareness and how they are coping with the grading system.
At the heart of OAU’s academic evaluation lies a grading structure that is both systematic and performance-based. According to the university’s scale, the grade points are assigned as follows: A = 5 points, B = 4, C = 3, D = 2, E = 1, and F = 0. This system forms the basis for calculating both GPA (Grade Point Average) and CGPA (Cumulative Grade Point Average).
In numerical terms, OAU categorizes its grade brackets as such: scores between 70–100 represent an ‘A’, 60–69 earn a ‘B’, 50–59 a ‘C’, 45–49 a ‘D’, 40–44 an ‘E’, and any score below 40 results in an ‘F’. The grading scale is strict, and as some students told our team, it pushes them to aim high, though it can also be overwhelming.
CGPA classifications further break down academic achievement into five categories: First Class (4.50–5.00), Second Class Upper (3.50–4.49), Second Class Lower (2.40–3.49), Third Class (1.50–2.39), and Pass (1.00–1.49). Any average below this range may imply academic probation or potential withdrawal.
During a brief conversation with a 300-level student in the Faculty of Arts, she admitted, “Understanding the grading system took me a while. I had to ask my seniors and attend departmental orientations to really grasp what CGPA meant. Now, I track my GPA each semester to stay in the Second Class Upper range.”
Another student from the Faculty of Science shared, “OAU grading isn’t easy. Even with a 69, you’re still in the ‘B’ category. That one mark can cost you a First Class dream. So, every decimal counts here.”
To compute GPA, students are expected to divide the total quality points (TQP or TGP) by the total credit units (TCU) for that semester. For example, if a student earned 90 quality points from 21 credit units, the GPA would be calculated as 90 ÷ 21 = 4.28. This formula allows students to determine how well they performed in that semester alone.
For CGPA, which combines multiple semesters, the formula is a continuation of the GPA principle. A student who earns 90 quality points from 21 CU in the first semester and 87 points from 20 CU in the second semester would calculate the CGPA as (90+87)/(21+20) = 177/41 = 4.31. This cumulative figure determines the student’s academic standing for the entire session.
Many students interviewed acknowledged that they keep personal spreadsheets or use mobile apps to calculate their GPAs and CGPAs after each result release. Some also noted that their departments sometimes delay releasing the breakdowns, which causes anxiety among students.
However, a student from the Faculty of Administration praised the transparency of the OAU grading system. “Once you understand the logic, it’s very predictable. The challenge is just the strictness—it’s hard to climb up, but very easy to drop down.”
The Nigeria Education News observed that awareness about the GPA and CGPA calculations is relatively high among students, especially those in their second year and beyond. However, some fresh students expressed confusion and wished the university offered workshops or digital platforms to assist with academic planning.
With the rising competition among students and a strong desire to graduate with First Class or Second Class Upper honors, the CGPA system remains one of the most crucial academic benchmarks in OAU. As the session continues, students will continue to navigate this rigorous system with vigilance, determination, and strategic planning.
As one final-year student put it, “Your CGPA is your academic CV. It’s what the job market sees first. So you fight hard for every single point.”
