With federal institutions announcing resumption after the suspension of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) eight-month strike, students have bemoaned the short time frame for lectures and examinations, overdue rent, financial strain, among others. PEACE OLADIPO, TIMOTHY OYEGOKE (FUOYE) and ABDULLAHI JIMOH (UNILORIN) report.
When the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) suspended its eight-month-old industrial action, after the ruling of Appeal Court, students, parents and other stakeholders were delighted. Relief was also palpable among traders on campuses. Their businesses which took a dip during the strike, would experience boom again.
However, after the euphoria that greeted the strike suspension, federal universities announced resumption. Students are not happy, they are in dire straits. They complained of short time frame for lectures and examinations, lack of funds, and low morale towards learning, among others.
Short time for lectures and examinations
Aderibigbe Rukoya, an English and Literary student at Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED), Ijagun, Ogun State, is scared of examination that would begin in two weeks when she is not prepared.
“I feel depressed, in my school, our examination is in the next two weeks and I do not think I have had enough lectures or studied well to make me be confident to write the examination. I am afraid, I might fail,” she said.
An Economics and Statistics student at University of Benin (UNIBEN), Omotayo Divine, said lecturers would set new questions and there would not be enough time to cover lost ground.
“Examination is my real fear, I only read during the first stage of the strike, immediately extensions started, I just couldn’t.
“There was nothing to inspire me to do so. Upon resumption, we just have a few weeks to cover up. So now, I just don’t know what to expect and the whole resumption came as a shock,” she said.
Overdue rent and financial strain
Akinrinola Joel, a 100-Level Pasture and Range Management student at Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, FUNAAB, said his house rent was due, adding that he was confused on how to get money to buy food stuff and pay other levies amid inflation and economic hardship.
He said: “There are so many things that cause my fear pertaining to the resumption.
Firstly, the money I have to pay for my house rent, pay some levy at school, buy food stuff, especially in this time when the cost of everything is skyrocketing.”
Likewise, a 200-Level student at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), who pleaded anonymity, said she was not ready financially. She is worried that there would be transport fare hike and also the flood at her residence may impede her resumption.
“I’m not financially ready, then the thought of transport fare hike got me moody when the suspension of the strike was announced, then the flood in my neighborhood in Lokoja is another major concern,” she said.
Low morale towards learning
For Moshood Habeeb, a 100-Level Pharmacy student at Bayero University Kano (BUK), his school would start examination immediately they resume. His fear is how to remember what to write in the examination and the risk of travelling back to school amid insecurity in the country.
His words: “The major fear I have is how to recall all what I read to pass the examination we’re going to write immediately we resume, and how to reach school successfully due to insecurity in the country”
Dada Emmanuel, a 200-Level Medical Laboratory Science student at the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), learned shoe-making during the strike and has jettisoned reading because he has started getting money from shoe-making.
“My major fear now is concerning my academics, I might not be able to read like before. My reading skills really depreciated during the strike. It will affect me badly,” he said.
He said he was resuming into a new and tougher session without adequately preparing for it.
“I wouldn’t take all the blame though because I have lost hope of resumption during the period of the strike, he added.
Chika Gift, a Mass Communication student of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), said: “The essence of going to school and coming out with a good result is downplayed because, at the end, they would rush the two semesters and make one who is relaxed to consequently struggle with a third class lower division grade.”
Lecturers will be tough on us
A 300-Level student who craved anonymity said she was afraid lecturers would be tough on students.
She said: The Federal Government’s failure to pay their backlog of salaries may make them not stress themselves to teach to expectation.
“Imagine a lecture theatre that has a 300-seater hall where more than 700 students are occupying; won’t the lecturers introduce the system of if you don’t get it forget about it, meaning you are your own.”
FUOYE students lament
Federal University, Oye-Ekiti released a memo on resumption after the suspension of the strike on October 14, 2022.
Examination would commence on 21st November, 2022, a month after resumption.
This decision caused a stir among students. They fear their grades would be affected. But final year students are happy to graduate.
Isaac Joseph, a 200-level Geophysics student, FUOYE, said: “It came as a shock to all of us even though we are not new to this kind of arrangement and I think the management is not considerate at all. I mean, first of all, ASUU shocked us with the sudden announcement of resumption. So, I don’t think it is fair we bear the punishment of this strike.
“I personally do not know how to juggle all at once and I think most students are as scared as they are excited to resume and I think this arrangement will really affect their results this semester.
“I think the management should hear our pleas and amend it for at least a little convenience for both lecturers and students.”
Amole Victor, a final year student, said: “The school calendar is fast and inconsiderate as we are just recovering from the impact of the ASUU strike. As a final year student, I’m happy that I’ll finally graduate this year. But what about those in 300, and even new intakes left behind, how would they cope or thrive? The best the school can do to meet up with the calendar is to ensure students are not hurt and cover up for students’ mistakes and be lenient while marking exam scripts.”
Israel Gold, a Business Administration, student, said: ” While other schools that had the time to properly teach their students produce good graduates, schools like ours just encourage students to ‘read to pass’- meaning they read with the fear of failing the course without proper lecture pattern.”
Olamide Omotayo, a Mass Communication student said: “Amending the calendar would not necessary since we’ve wasted eight months already. We will endure the calendar. We want to graduate. In fact, if it is possible, we should start another semester by December. I’m tired of this incessant strike.
“We are definitely going back home probably next year or the year after. It is painful that ASUU will still go on strike again.”
For Falusi Samuel, a Political Science student, he wants management to amend the academic calendar.
“I will be so glad if management can consider us students by amending the stipulated date for the commencement of this semester’s examination. They can shift it to the first or second week of December. Resumption was sudden after a long time at home. Students need time to adjust again,” he said.
Afuape Esther, a student of Economics said: “Sincerely speaking, the new school calendar is choking. I can’t imagine the stress the lecturers will go through and even the students.
The fact that they’re bringing in freshers when a session is yet to end is strange and will inflict more workload on the lecturers and the school as a whole.”
John Ilesanmi, a student of Finance said: “Most of the students have not been reading since the commencement of the strike and lectures will end in two weeks and the same students will take exam after that, a standard semester should be 13 weeks. Also, this second semester is always filled with activities (Parties, departmental elections and others). Students are at a gunpoint situation. Examinations should have been fixed for January.
Joshua Aina, a student of History and International Studies said: “There is no way we would escape exam this year. I told folks that even if the strike is called in the month of November we are still going to do exam this year.
So I wasn’t that shocked when I saw the school calendar.
But it saddens the heart of many innocent students that we are all at the receiving end of whatever happens between Federal Government and ASUU even though we know absolutely nothing about their differences.
“But compared to other schools I think FUOYE is still very friendly with us, I think the released school calendar is okay, at least, we still have about three weeks after resumption to prepare for exam.
For example, in FUTA’s school calendar, their lecture starts on the 24th and ends on the 29th of October and exam starts on the 7th of November.
“So I don’t think any FUOYE students should be demanding for any amendment whatsoever.”
Titi Omolayo, a Computer Science student, said: “The calendar is fine for returning students since we anticipated something similar. All students were aware that the calendar would not favour us, but nobody was aware that the new students would start class with us.
“It is obvious that the new students, who are unaware of the harm the calendar could cause to their mental health, are reeling with the joy of resumption.”
Daniel Dada, a Mechanical Engineering student, said: “I would say that the school management is doing its best to adjust the academic calendar to meet up as expected because of the extension caused by the strike. Students have waited for over seven months and are eager to continue their studies, so, the academic calendar is fair enough. Though it’s expected that the session will be tedious and busy, my advice to all students both freshers and returning students is to be more serious than ever in the current session because of the short time frame.”
Expert’s recommendation
Ilorin-based public affairs analyst Mr. Ambali AbdulKabir enjoins the universities’ management not add to the pains of students especially in the this delicate period.
“No univeristy should turn out to be agent of trauma. Now that many have announced resumption dates, they should be kind in their approach to resumption.
Although I am aware every university has peculiarities, students should be considered at least. This is because time is essential,” he said.