function prereq_check($username, $seqid)
{
    $sql = "select distinct p.reqcoursenumber from sections s, prereq p where s.coursenumber = p.basecoursenumber and s.seqid = '{$seqid}'";
    $result_array = execute_sql_in_mysql($sql);
    $result = $result_array["flag"];
    $cursor = $result_array["cursor"];
    if ($cursor == false) {
        die("SQL Execution problem.");
    }
    $prereqs = array();
    while ($values = mysqli_fetch_array($cursor)) {
        $prereqs[] = $values[0];
    }
    //oci_free_statement($cursor);
    if (count($prereqs) == 0) {
        return false;
    }
    $n = count($prereqs);
    $prereq_result = array();
    for ($i = 0; $i < $n; $i++) {
        $sql = "select * from users u, sections s, taken t, students d where u.username = d.username\n            and d.id = t.id and t.seqid = s.seqid and u.username = '******' and s.coursenumber = '{$prereqs[$i]}'\n                and not exists (select * from taken n where d.id = n.id and n.grade is null)";
        $result_array = execute_sql_in_mysql($sql);
        $result = $result_array["flag"];
        $cursor = $result_array["cursor"];
        if ($cursor == false) {
            die("SQL Execution problem.");
        }
        if (!($values = mysqli_fetch_array($cursor))) {
            //    echo($values[0]);
            $prereq_result[] = $prereqs[$i];
        }
        //oci_free_statement($cursor);
    }
    $n = count($prereq_result);
    if ($n > 0) {
        return $prereq_result;
    } else {
        return false;
    }
}
<?php

include "utility_functions.php";
//Access level
$access = "a";
$sessionid = $_GET["sessionid"];
verify_session($sessionid, $access);
// Verify where we are from, manage.php or  user_update_action.php.
if (!isset($_POST["update_fail"])) {
    // from manage.php
    // Fetch the record to be updated.
    $username = $_GET["username"];
    // the sql string
    $sql = "select username, passw, isstudent, isadmin from users where username = '******'";
    $result_array = execute_sql_in_mysql($sql);
    $result = $result_array["flag"];
    $cursor = $result_array["cursor"];
    if ($cursor == false) {
        die("Query Failed.");
    }
    $values = mysqli_fetch_array($cursor);
    $username = $values[0];
    $password = $values[1];
    $isstudent = $values[2];
    $isadmin = $values[3];
} else {
    // from user_update_action.php
    // Obtain values of the record to be updated directly.
    $username = $_POST["username"];
    $password = $_POST["password"];
    $isstudent = $_POST["isstudent"];
function student_admin_nav_check($sessionid)
{
    // lookup the sessionid in the session table to ascertain the clientid, then use client id to verify student-administrator access level
    $sql = "select u.username, isstudent, isadmin " . "from users u, usersession s " . "where u.username=s.username and sessionid='{$sessionid}' and (isstudent='y' or isstudent='Y') and (isadmin='y' or isadmin='Y')";
    $result_array = execute_sql_in_mysql($sql);
    $result = $result_array["flag"];
    $cursor = $result_array["cursor"];
    //$result = oci_execute($cursor);
    /*
     if ($result == false){
     //display_oracle_error_message($cursor);
     die("SQL Execution problem.");
     }
    * 
    */
    $return_variable = "";
    if (!($values = mysqli_fetch_array($cursor))) {
        // no record found with student-administrator usertype
        $return_variable = FALSE;
    } else {
        $return_variable = TRUE;
    }
    //oci_free_statement($cursor);
    return $return_variable;
}