ASUU Strike -We Are Tired Of School Today, Strike Tomorrow -Undergraduates

BY OSUN OYINDAMOLA SULIYAT

A cross-section of Nigerian undergraduates have lamented the prolonged stay at home because of the ongoing ASUU strike. ASUU is the Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities.

The students who spoke to our correspondent in separate interviews, submitted that the time has come for the federal government to find a lasting solution to the lingering face-off with ASUU.

One of them, Aghobor Godswill of the University of Ibadan (UI) said ASUU strike had become rampant as to make Nigerian undergraduates lose focus.

In his words: “ASUU….Hmm…Students are tired literally. How can I get into school and a 4 year course turns to a 6 or 7 year course just because Lecturers and staffs of Universities Haven’t been paid!!…It all balls down to Governance again. Education should be one of Government’s top priorities after Security and Health Care…

ASUU strike has its effects, slows down education. Students may even lose focus too. Stories of how Ladies have left school because of Strike and gone to their so-called boyfriends’ place and got pregnant..

Omo…Nigeria needs cleansing.”

Aghobor added however that ASUU Strike may be beneficial to some people in other ways, adding that some students may use the opportunity of the strike to make money, by working, learning a skill or other things.

According to him, the time has come for the government to place more premium on education, also as a way of fighting the increasing crime rate in the country.

Another respondent also from UI,  Ibrahim Leemah said “it is distressing to observe that the warning strike has produced no results in one month, as the FGN has shown no sign of acceding to ASUU’s requests. This leading to another 8 weeks ASUU Strike.

“I declare an unreserved support for ASUU, given its commitment to the development and improvement of tertiary institutions.

Let us remind the FGN that qualitative education is the leverage for national development, and that underfunding the system or ignoring lecturers’ welfare comes with highly devastating academic consequences. That is why I consider the FGN’s indifference to ASUU’s demands to be completely unacceptable”.

Leemah pleaded for all stakeholders to prevail on the federal government to give education, the priority it deserves “as soon as possible, so that classes can resume, as it appears that the sector of the country most affected is the Nigerian student body.”

For Adelaja Fridause  who spoke with our correspondent from Ekiti State University (EKSU), the strike has had a personal effect on her, “ in the sense that my school academic calendar has been disrupted and I can’t continue with my project work again till the strike is over.

Also, it has made me idle and now that it has been extended to two months I would just have to get something busy with till the strike is over”..

She added that with the recent strike that ASUU had again troubled the education system in Nigeria, especially federal and state-owned universities which has made youth lost hope in the education system.

Furthermore, the ASUU strike has affected me in such a way that I won’t be able to study any of my courses at the moment again because there is no pdf or any handouts to read.

Finally, They can’t be holding our future to ransome every year, it is not brainy, same problem almost every year without solution, government should endeavor to meet their demands so we can get the quality education we deserve.”

Oluwakemi Ariori who studies at the Tai Solarin University Of Education (TASUED) said “I don’t really have much to say about it, but I just think it isn’t necessary.

“Those in Aso rock are collecting millions, those representatives are collecting millions for sitting for meeting…..the question us why can’t government look forward to ASSU’s request?

“Those lecturers are not getting paid enough hurt they’re re giving us at least the best.

“Lecturers and teachers are among top most people to be getting enough payment, but government isn’t seeing it as anything coz they feel after they call off the strike some schools would meet up to the school calendar and everything will be back to normal.

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“My own perspective of this is that Government isn’t moved at all and they are less concerned….I wouldn’t have said they re less concerned though they might be trying to make things up but their best isn’t showing and it’s taking too much.”

From the Federal University Akungba Akoko, Ojoibukun Grace said: “As for me the strike is slowing down my progress and goals.”