ABOUT six months ago, the Nigerian University campuses were like “ghost towns” save the non-academic staff and few senior management staff of the institutions.
The campuses were deserted after the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) had on July 1, 2013 embarked on an indefinite strike over the failure of the Federal Government to implement key elements of the 2009 Agreement reached with the union.
It was an exhilarating moment to re-unite with their fellow course mates and friends.
Although, not all the students might be able to make it back as some lost their lives while the strike lasted.
This was why a 200 Level student of Economics, University of Abuja, Mr Festus Onjeh was full of thanks to God for preserving him and those of his colleagues that have resumed to continue with their studies. “Strike is an evil wind. Do you know that some students are not able to make it back because they are dead? I must thank God for my life first. Government must do something to avoid this type of situation in the future,” he said.
He was not the only one that made such calls, other students and parents who spoke pleaded with Tribune Education, the Federal Government and ASUU to keep faith with the terms of agreement. ASUU had called off the protracted strike on December 17, 3013 after it signed a fresh Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Federal Government on how to fully implement the contentious 2009 Agreement between the parties.
At the University of Abuja, it was observed that lectures have already commenced in some, departments. A 300 Level Student of English and Literary Studies Mr Joshua Anyebe, commended the Federal Government and the leadership of ASUU for resolving the impasse.
Anyebe said: “You can see we just had our first lecture, trying to refresh our memories and have a recap of what we did last year. I feel excited meeting with my collegues and friends after so long a time.’’ Continue....
Most of the students also commended the Vice-Chancellor of the university for resolving the internal crisis that had enveloped the institution and the infrastructure being put in place to encourage teaching and learning including the Medical College of the institution that has already scaled the accreditation hurdles.
The University’s spokesman, Mr Garba Waziri, also told Tribune Education that quite a number of students have resumed and lectures have commenced in earnest in some departments, saying all of the issues, including the five months salaries owed them during the period of the strike had been paid.
He, however, pointed out that not all the students were resuming fresh from the strike, saying some of them had resumed since Monday December 2, 2013 following the order of the Committee of Pro-chancellors that universities re-open for academic activities, against the ASUU strike.
UNIABUJA had announced December 1, 2013 for resumption of academic activities. According to the approved Revised Academic Calendar for the 2013/2013 session sighted by Tribune Education, students were expected to resume on Sunday December 1 while, lectures commence on December 2, 2013. They were given December 21, 2013 to Sunday, January 5, 2014 for the Christmas break.
According to the tentative timetable, the first Semester would have ended on January 18, 2014 while examination for the semester was fixed for January 20, to end on Saturday February 8, which is about three weeks period of examination. Students were expected to proceed a two-week break on February 9, and return on Sunday February 23, 2014 for commencement of second semester.
Tribune Education, gathered that the University of Abuja chapter of the ASUU has already written the Senate of the university to review the academic calendar on the grounds that nothing really happened during the purported resumption last year. It was also gathered that the Senate of the university might meet before the end of this week to review the timetable in order to forestall another round of internal crisis.
Meanwhile, the food vendors and petty traders at the UNIABUJA campuses hailed the Federal Government and ASUU for resolving the face-off that really put them out of business for almost half a year. While recounting the losses during the strike, they expressed optimism that things will get normal soon. According Hanatu, a mother of three, “This is where I raise money to train my two children who are in school. I can’t say how much we have lost, but you know how living is expensive in Abuja and for you to stay out of business for one day, it means a lot.
The motorcycle riders popularly known as ‘Okada’ were not left out in the euphoria of the resumption of students as they commenced brisk business, conveying students and visitors from the university Gate into the campus.
However, academic activities at the University of Calabar (UNICAL) are yet to commence.
When Tribune Education visited the UNICAL campus on Tuesday, it was observed that lectures in almost all the departments and faculties are yet to commence, with a handful of students seen sitting at various locations in the campus.
Some students attributed the poor turn-out of students and delay in the commencement of lectures to the Christmas holiday as some students and lecturers who travelled home are yet to return.
A final year student of the Department of Political Science, Miss Nkechi John said that lectures are yet to commence.
She said, “We were supposed to start lectures last week, some lecturers have not showed up. I don’t know the reason for this. Even students who travelled on holiday have not returned. You can see how empty the campus is.”
Also, a third year undergraduate student of the Department of English and Literary Studies, Mr Ebong Edet who was sitting close to a lecture hall along with other students at the main campus said he was waiting to attend lectures by 2pm, but that it is most likely that the lecturer might not turn up.
According to him, “since last December when ASUU called off its strike, we have not had lectures. Although time-table for lectures had been given to us, we are yet to commence lectures fully.”
Speaking on the development, a senior lecturer in the Institute of Public Policy and Administration (IPPA), Dr Okpo Ajah said, “lectures started yesterday (Monday) with the new academic calendar for second semester 2012/2013 session, but students are yet to turn up. Hopefully, I am sure by next week Monday they will come back because the lecturers are on alert”.
The final year students on campus seem to be the most eager as, according to Aghogho Oweibo of History Department, University of Lagos, “we were supposed to have completed our final examinations last year and get posted for our National Youth Corps service (NYSC) by February or March, but that has been disrupted.”
She admitted that the work load has been highly cumbersome since resumption, as there were several deadlines for assignments to meet up with, tests to write and projects to conclude all within a short time frame, as second semester examinations have been scheduled to commence January 27, which is in less than three weeks.
For others, like Yeni Aladejobi of Economics, at the Lagos State University (LASU), having lost touch with school work, she complained of being rushed by lecturers to meet up with the lost six months in the school calendar.
“If not because I know the importance of education and my parents also deemed it compulsory that I get a university degree, I had already started up a shoe and bag making business during the strike and I am doing quite well in it and earning good money already. The truth is, I have lost touch with my academic work, but I am glad to be back anyway, finish up the semester, get done with school next year and I can face my business squarely.”
Biodun Hamzat of LASU, is elated to resume school after the long ASUU break, “it is true that we are being rushed, but it is for our own good, so much time has been wasted and it must be made up for. I am very glad to resume work completely this session and resume 200 level. Besides, staying home jobless was beginning to get really frustrating,” he said.
Asked if the resort to rush students in a bid to complete the disrupted semester due to the strike would not have a negative effect on the quality of students to be graduated this year, a lecturer at Unilag, who plead anonymity, said “as far as I am concerned, it is not proper that we have to rush the students like this, but we have very little choice in that regards, the school has drawn a calendar and our job is to work with the calendar.
“The burden of rushing to complete the semester, as well as the heavy workload accompanied by that is not only being felt by the students, we lecturers also have so much work to do as well, such as course works to complete, mark assignments and examination scripts, all in a few weeks,” he said.
Academic activities have resumed fully in the universities across Ondo State following the suspension of the strike embarked upon by (ASUU).
Checks at the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) showed that the students were back on campus on Monday as directed by the authorities of the school.
The students of the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko had since November returned to school when the school authorities directed the lecturers to return to classes.
However at FUTA, findings showed that academic activities commenced on Monday and a new academic calendar was released by the management of the institution.
Apart from this, many of the lecturers were said to have been organising tests for the students since the new calendar signed by Senate Matters and Admission Officer, D. S. Daramola on behalf of the Registrar showed that they were two weeks away from the 2012/2013 second semester examination.
The Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academic, Prof. Adedayo Fasakin, said in a statement, “We have resumed, all academic activities are in full swing, we have two weeks of lectures, one week for revision then examination starts and that concludes the 2012/2013 academic session”.
The new calendar of the school shows that lectures would end for the session on Friday, January 17, while second semester examination will start on Monday, January 27.
The 2013/2014 academic session, according to the new calendar, will commence on Monday, February 16 with the first semester ending on Saturday June 21 and the second semester commencing a week after, while the session will end on Saturday, October 18.
Of the five tertiary institutions in Kogi State- Kogi State University, Anyigba; Federal Polytechnic, Idah; Kogi State Polytechnic Lokoja; Federal University Lokoja, and state College of Education, Ankpa, only the State University, Anyigba went on the prolonged strike that was recently suspended.
At Anyigba, the resumption was a big relief having stayed at home for six months. They were eager to resume academic activities as most of the students who were supposed to move to the next year of their academic pursuit or go for the compulsory one year National Youth Service could not as they did not complete their academic calendar.
Nkechi Michael who is supposed to be in 400 level at thePsychology department said she is ready to work “ anyhow in order to cover the lost ground and complete my course on time.’’
Speaking in the same vein Ogbonnayo Jude who missed the national service due to the strike said he would double his efforts and study well now that they have resumed. Jude who is 400 level Sociology student appealed for cooperation between the students and the lecturers for a speedy completion of their course.
Source
Osun defender
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