Students at Adekunle Ajasin University Akungba-Akoko(AAUA), Ondo State, want authorities to give the institution a face lift, upgrade infrastructure and attend to students’ welfare, following resumption. FATIMAH IDERA (AAUA) reports.
Students at Adekunle Ajasin University Akungba-Akoko (AAUA), Ondo State, like others in universities affected by Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) eight-month strike, had looked forward to resumption after the union suspended the industrial action.
ASUU had embarked on strike February 14, 2022, before suspending it on October 14, after the ruling of the Appeal Court.
However, the management of AAUA announced resumption on October 17, 2022.
When students resumed last month, they didn’t like the state of the campus. It was overgrown with weeds, transport fare for campus shuttle had also been increased,among other things.
Esesuru Samuel, a 200-Level student of Sociology said he never expected any new development on campus because the Federal Government had not fulfilled promises made to ASUU.
Samuel said the strike underscored the poor funding of education by the government considering the state of the institution after resumption.
“The state at which we left the school is still the same. There is no development. There is nothing to excite us.Everything seems stagnant,” he said.
Another student, Orimoloye Busayo Beatrice, a 300-Level student of Biochemistry said there was no development, adding that the number of students has reduced and the school is scanty.She noted the school had become bushy and it needed to be cleared.
“The bush in school is like that of Sambisa forest. The management should employ people to cut down it so we can all be safe.The school’s infrastructure need to be upgraded. Generally,it needs a huge facelift,” she said.
Similarly, Temitope Adeyemo, a 200-Level student of Political Science complained that upon resumption campus shuttle fare had increased.
“The increase in the fare of campus shuttle was shocking. Regarding the lecture halls, laboratories and other facilities, there is no change. They need to be upgraded. Then,the bushy environment should quickly be cleared to save us from reptiles,” he said.
Eniafe Akinboyejo, a 100-Level student of Linguistics said the school environment as well as complexes and lecture halls need a facelift.
“School authorities should try to give the school a facelift and ensure the environment is conducive for uninterrupted learning. The strike has come and gone, yet facilities remain the same. It is sad,” he said.
Ojo Cosmos Olayemi, a 400-Level student of Animal Science, said: ” Nothing has changed yet about the lecture halls complexes and the roads.
“It’s something to be worried about because it seems the strike is not yet over , maybe something is coming up again, due to half payment of lecturers’ salaries,” he said.
Another student, a 200-Level Buhari Ibrahim, said educational institutions were crucial to economic development and nation building,hence,they should not be left to rot. He also called for the training of staff for effective service delivery after the eight-month strike.
“To ensure students here get the best, skills staff need to be strengthened and enhanced; there should be more investments for training and re-training of employee,” he said.
Ibrahim, however, lauded management for the new faculty of science building.
Aderogba Faith, an Industrial Chemistry student, said:”The school had really lost most of its fanciful things as a result of the strike.
Her words: “Since the strike, it is almost impossible for a student and lecturer to remain in touch with studies. There should be constant and conscious investment in teaching, this will be of great benefit to students.”
Joshua Ruth, a 200-Level student said: “Now that we have resumed school authorities should ensure we enjoy learning in line global best practices. There are advances in pedagogy, learning materials and use of technology. The importance of staff development is, therefore, paramount. Similarly, there are many rapid changes in management processes, techniques and technology for managerial and support staff. These will aid teaching and learning.”
She urged management to provide tools to automate tasks and prepare the school for rewarding academic activities.
Adewumi Olawale, an 100-Level student of Public Administration, said: ” I haven’t sighted any development in the school. Since resumption, the lecture halls I have been to are still the same as there is poor ventilation which is harmful to our health.”
President of Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Adelakun Theophilus, lauded the ongoing reconstruction of the road that leads to the school’s main gate.
He expressed optimism that concerned authorities will attend to the bush around the school.
“We also have a new Head of Department in the Faculty of Social and Management Science, Prof. Aloho Olubunmi, that is heart-warming,” he said.
Management reacts
Dean of Students’ Affairs, Prof. Matthew Olusegun Akanbi, said management was focused on improving students’ welfare and ensure lecturers work diligently.
His words: “Development has different stages, which are classified into structural and physical development.
“For the structural development which deals with the academics, the school had partaken in many activities to ensure students cover up lost grounds.
“Immediately after the suspension of the strike, we had a meeting at the senate building to resume because we want our students to resume as soon as possible for the commencement of lectures.
“On the first week of resumption, the lecturers resumed and most of them started lectures immediately since students turned up. ”
The Dean said during the strike, there were scholarship programmes and some students benefitted through the help of the school.
“The lecture halls are intact for now, and the lecturers are coming to classes as the school environment is at peace,” he added.
However, he noted that during the strike, everywhere was bushy but the school management organised some workmen and other equipment to cut down the bushes, trees and trim the flowers.
Lecturer speaks
A Mass Communication lecturer, Mr. Lamidi Ishola, said: “Since the strike has been suspended, things on the campus had come back to life as the academic activities have picked up.
“The school calendar has been rolled out as students have started resuming.
“Also, the management plans are to complete this session to start another academic session without delay.”