While the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, last week suspended its
three months old industrial action, many stakeholders were excited with the
news, believing that at least students and lecturers can now return to
classroom.
However, there are indications that though the strike was called off seven days
ago and teachers back at school, many undergraduates and new admitted
students were nowhere to be found on campus, as they preferred to remain
with their parents at their respective homes.
Correspondent visits to some of the public institutions of higher learning in the
country revealed a very low turn out of students on campus. Thus, while
teachers are preparing for lectures, the students are nowhere to be found for
learning.
Situational reports revealed that some of the available students at the
University of Benin, UNIBEN, had arrived the campus before ASUU suspended
the strike to serve as INEC official during the elections.
Some new admitted students and undergraduates who spoke with oyinlolablogs.com displayed some levels of fear to return to school, envisaging the likelihood of violent before,during and after elections.
They were in the opinion that if they go back to school now, they would be
forced to return home before or during the elections. ‘’I would rather prefer to
be at home with my food stuffs and return after elections,’’ a student said.
Parents who spoke with Vanguard insist that they would not allow their wards
back at school until after the elections. According to some of them, living their
children in school during elections, would create an avenue for some politicians
to use the gullible ones among them. They reiterated that though they were
happy for the suspension of ASUU strike, but however posited that they would
rather wait after the election before their children go back to school.
On its part, in compliance with ASUU directive, teachers at the Lagos State
University, LASU resumed work on Monday.
This is just as the university Senate is meeting for consideration of the revised
2017/2018 Academic calendar, as lecturers now await the decision of the
university Senate on the review of the academic calendar.
LASU authorities maintained that the participation of some lecturers in the
upcoming general elections would not affect their 100 percent productivity at
work, as the election would be on Saturdays.
Dr Tony Dansu, Secretary, ASUU-LASU Chapter had during the week said: The
participation of any lecturer in the election is a personal commitment and ASUU
will not take responsible for any positive or negative outcome of it.’’
At the University of Lagos, UNILAG, the situation was almost similar to that of
LASU as many lecturers are on campus, with the presence of few students who
probably reside in Lagos.
Reacting to the immediate resumption of students on campus, Miss Favour
Ogar, a 300 Level English and Literary Studies student, University of Calabar,
UNICAL admitted she enjoyed the three month holiday occasioned by ASUU
strike .
She said: ‘’I am not willing to go back to school now until after the elections
because there will not be lectures. Moreover, since I did not register for PVC in
Calabar, there is no reason to go back to school now.
‘’I will wait after the election as most students will be going back to school
after the elections. Besides, the present situation is not encouraging to go
back to school.
I studied during the break and I am prepared for examination after the
elections.’’
On his part, a new admitted Computer Engineering student from the University
of Uyo,Wiseman Ogar said: ‘’We ought to have resumed on November 5th
.which incidentally was the day the strike started. ‘’I felt bad that day because I
was already in school for my pre-registration and was told to go back home.
Despite the strike being called off, I am still at home due to fears of insecurity
in the country. We are reading and hearing of killings, kidnapping etc, because
of the elections. So I am at home in order to be on the safe side.’’
Moreover, Emmanuel Oboba, a 300 Level Engineering student from the
University of Benin said he had gone back to school before ASUU suspended
the strike to serve as INEC staff during the elections.
He said: ‘’I am in school but lecture is yet to start. However, some of my
course mate are around, but the Calendar they are proposing is that school will
resume on the 24th February.
‘’The few students who are on campus are coming from off campus. ‘’Nothing
is going on and lecturers are just coming into their offices and doing nothing.
Speaking in the same vein, Seyi Adeleye, a 300 Level Engineering student,
UNIBEN said: ‘’My parents allowed me on campus because I stay around the
school. However, nothing is going on now, as a few lecturers are around.’’
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