By Fortune Amaechi

IT is not uncommon on campuses  to  see students walking in twos or groups, sometimes siblings or friends. There are the couples; they parade themselves wanting to be noticed, especially the naive ones. For distracted students, being a student-couple is part of the curriculm. It is also important to state that not all students that live together are couples, some are friends or even siblings.

The student-couples go as far as  living like married couples. The girl cooks and performs other domestic  chores while the boy fends for the house. They can get a job or use  their school fees for other things.

At home, most of the student-couples wear innocent faces and are well behaved that their parents don’t have the faintest idea of their escapades  in school. Hence, it is imperative that parents pay attention to  their wards in school. They should know where they  live, their friends, the church they attend and others.

When a male and female student cohabit, they are  bound to  encounter problems such as  poor academic performance, early pregnancy as a result of multiple sexual intercourse, abortion, which may lead to death, diseases and infections.

Therefore, parents and tertiary institutions should address the issue to  forestall the ‘evils’ that come with such.

University officials can help curb this by organising sensitisation campaigns  for students in their first year, to  help  them get their priorities right. In some schools, it has become the norm to give awards  to the best couple of the year during departmental award ceremonies. Doing that would make new students think it is appropriate. This should not be happening on our campuses.

Since tertiary institutions are seen as places where unlimited freedom holds sway, students are urged to exercise restraint. However, the major responsibility is left to the parents or guardians to continuously check on their children or wards in school, most times unannounced. If they  cannot do this regularly, they should have representatives in the school that will help in monitoring them. Parents should  also do well to enlighten their children or wards on  sex  so as not to be easily swayed or enticed by the opposite sex. Doing this will reduce the  rate of student-couples on campus.

• Amaechi is a 300-level Food Science and Technology Student of Abia State University

As the face-off between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) rages on, students have called on both parties to resolve all issues, report ELIZABETH FADEYI and TUNDE ADEBAYO (IBADANPOLY).

The Federal Government directed tertiary institutions to resume on October 12, after the long COVID-19 lockdown, which began in March.

But federal institutions could not resume because of the ASUU strike which began   on March 9.

It was gathered that ASUU made efforts for government to intervene on the five major issues  presented to the Federal Government — renegotiation, earned academic allowances, visitation panels to universities, revitalisation of infrastructure and proliferation of universities.

The strike further intensified following the union’s grouse about the government’s insistence on the implementation of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) for the payment of lecturers’ salaries and allowances. ASUU developed a homegrown payment platform, the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) which it believed guarantees the autonomy of the university.

However, the union has not called off the strike because it is waiting for the government to conduct an integrity test on UTAS.

ASUU President Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi said the government needed to give approval to the National Information Technology Development Agency to conduct integrity test on UTAS.

Nevertheless, students want both parties to negotiate and expedite action for them to resume after the long break.

Sunday Timileyin, a Communication Arts  final year student of the University of Ibadan,  wants the government and ASUU to conclude negotiations soon for the sake of students.

“The Federal Government and ASUU should  reach an agreement for the  sake of  students. They are delaying us. They are wasting our time. They should reach a conclusion and settle things,” he said.

In the same vein, Ibrahim Mustapha, a Law student of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), said he was tired of staying at home, calling on the parties to ensure a quick resolution.

He said: “Both parties should conclude and allow schools to resume. I am particularly tired of staying at home. Plans have been disrupted by their nonchalant attitude. They should let us resume, I am begging them. There is no more time left.”

An Electrical Engineering student of Ekiti State University (EKSU), Olajumoke Moses,             wants government to do the needful and fulfill the agreements reached with striking lecturers.

She said: “I have always known that the educational system we have in Nigeria is bad. Those in charge should therefore set things right. I am particularly tired of the strike.”

Eniola Deborah, a Biochemistry student at the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA), said:

” I am begging the Federal Government as well as  ASUU to please end the strike. After all these months, they still haven’t reached a conclusion. We don’t have all the time in the world. They should please do something.  Imagine sitting at home while  other students have  resumed.”

Zaynab Ahmad of Ado Bayero University, who studies Mass Communication, blamed government for failing to fulfill the promises made to lecturers.

“The government takes the blame because of its continuous failed promises to the lecturers. The unfulfilled promises started from 2006. We are in 2020, still, nothing has been done.

“The lecturers also have their own faults. The strike is at the detriment of students. It does not impact the government in any way. The children of most government officials are studying abroad or in private universities,” she said.

Olanrewaju Olamilekan, a student of the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), while berating the government for the incessant strikes, said:  “I can’t say the fault is completely on the part of the lecturers because  negotiation is key.  The government is not exactly doing what it ought to do. The government is grossly at fault, it has  refused to meet the demands of ASUU.”

For Philip Mercy, another student of Ekiti State University, those at the helm of affairs are nonchalant, noting that it was puzzling that ASUU would still be on strike even in these trying times.

Akinyemi Busola, a student of  the Federal University of Technology (FUTMINNA), complained about the disruption in the academic calendar thus: “Over six months of staying at home, yet no hope for resumption. I think a lasting solution should be found. A course that takes four years will be prolonged because of the strike.”

Ojulari Mofehintola, a Mass Communication student of the University of Lagos, noted that students preferred private universities to public ones because strike has become the hallmark of public universities.

She said: “While our counterparts are already resuming or planning to resume, we are still at home awaiting the decision of the Federal Government and ASUU. A lasting solution should be brought and the issue of strike ought to be a thing of the past now.”

Davies Grace, a student of Ekiti State University, said:  ” We are in a country where the government doesn’t really pay or give much attention to the educational sector. They would prefer to send their wards outside the country to be educated or better still some well known private universities because they know how bad the education sector has become. I think it’s high time Nigerian government stopped paying lip service to education.”

Boluji Olamide, a student of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), said the strike had caused an increase in social vices.

” Pregnancy rate as well as abortion rate among students have increased significantly. Many  male students still on  campus  are seen mingling  with the opposite sex as this period of no academic activities has made it possible for them to indulge in lust,” she said.

For Sulaimon Noimot, a student of FUTMINNA, the  industrial action has really affected her such that she has lost the zeal for academics.

She said: “I no longer have the zeal to read again, because I don’t even know when the strike will be over. The government should please help students and meet  the demands of ASUU.”

Makinde Kikelomo, a  Biochemistry student of FUTA, wants ASUU to devise another means of expressing it grievances to government rather than resorting to unending industrial action.

“My  course  of four years is already turning to five years  if the strike doesn’t stop.  I think ASUU should improve  and think of a better idea on how to negotiate things with the government for what ever they need without affecting the students through incessant strikes,” she said.

Akinpelu Boluwatife, a Medicine and Surgery student of   University of Ibadan  while decrying the strike said:

“This is a total waste of time. Can ASUU ever avoid going on strike?  They are  delaying those who want to graduate. Lots of  academic activities have been missed due to the nonchalant attitude  of the union. Projects are left unaccomplished thanks to them.”

Bukunmi Omololu, a Mass Communication  student of UNILAG, decried the ‘insensitivity’ of ASUU, saying prolonging the strike wouldn’t bode well for students.

“If the interest of students is paramount to the union, it would never have allowed this strike to be prolonged. If lecturers are fighting for their right ,  it should be done in a way that won’t affect students. We have been at home for  many months. The lecturers should be considerate enough to know that they are delaying us while they think they are fighting for what is theirs,” she said.

Pamilerin Mary, a student of Ekiti  State University, said: ” By now we ought to have finished a semester but I am at home doing nothing. Only God knows when school will resume . Both parties should be considerate enough and remember that they are toying  with our future. They should allow us to resume back to school quickly, enough of the delay.”