ASUU Strike: We Need To Go back To School Students Cry out.

Some Students have come out to plead with the Federal Government and Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) who are yet to come to an agreement, to end the strike. They comlained about how the continous industrial action is delaying their studies.

Recall that ASUU, on February 14, 2022, declared a one-month warning strike following the failure of the Federal Government to implement the famous February 7, 2019 Memorandum of Action (MoA), which contained important highlights of the 2009 ASUU-FGN agreement and aggregated the cardinal arguments of the 2012 and 2013 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and the 2017 MoA.

The union also blamed the government for failing to implement the December 2020 MoA when the longest strike in the history of the nation then proceeded to extended the strike for two months after the expiration of the one month warning strike.

One of the students Abiodun Adesanya, from Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, said “The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to go back to the lecture rooms, Indicating that the strike was delaying students’ academic progress.”

Ruth Ighomrore, a 300-Level student at the University of Benin (UNIBEN) said, “The Federal Government and ASUU should try and reach a compromise because students were beginning to lose interest in learning and the strike is really affecting people mentally, psychologically, and emotionally.”

Ifedolapo Babatunde, a student at  the Federal University of Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), appealed to both parties to prioritise students in their negotiations.

In his words: “I am tired of staying at home, but ASUU causing unnecessary delay and tampering with our plans. I have things I want to achieve at different stages of my life, but they keep disrupting my plans. Please, they should think about our future and just call off the strike.” 

Bamise Temidayo, a  400-Level student at Ekiti State University, urged ASUU to call off the strike according to him: “I’m tired of sitting at home. I want to finish my project. I want to finish my final semester so I can move on to the next phase of my life. ASUU should please call off the strike.”

Sikiru Sulaiman, a Microbiology student at the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), pleaded with ASUU to consider the future of students even when the government seems unconcerned. He said “This strike has negative effects on students. Whenever the union embarks on strike, it weakens the strength of students’ brains and obstructs academics. Some get married against their will even though when the government seems unconcerned.”

Oshinaike Oluwafunmilola, a 200-Level student of the Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), appealed with ASUU “To reconsider its decision on the industrial action. Furthermore she stressed that there was so much on ground to be covered in school.”

Another student at the Federal University of Oye- Ekiti (FUOYE), Abel Jimmy, said “Aside from wasting our time, students will end up being rushed to make up for the lost time which mostly leads to failure.”

Another student of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Boluwatife Ojo, said the strike had encouraged youths to engage in cybercrime and money rituals.

According to him: “It is  painful that the issue of strikes has now turned into regular and yearly activities in Nigeria’s educational system. The strike has led youths to vices and all forms of criminal tendencies and money rituals.”

For Olawale Rahman, a 300- Level History and Strategic Studies student of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), the strike has brought about depression. In his words: “Moreover, students are depressed. Frankly speaking, school is one of the ways by which students get away from depression and achieve their goals. Now many are into  in drugs and other illicit ventures.

Babatunde Adedayo, an English Language student, OAU, urged the union to demand their entitlements from the Federal Government using other means instead of always embarking on strike. “Those that ought to graduate last year were unable to, due to the industrial action. They are affected again with this current strike. Also, those in one level or the other cannot move forward. No one can say when the strike is going to be called off over  failure to reach an agreement.”

Mohammed Halimat-Oyibo, a 400-Level Biochemistry student at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, said “The strike has dampened her spirit and weakened her zeal for studying.“The strike disrupts our plans and makes us feel schooling is of no importance anymore.”

Ajadi Joshua, a 300-Level Law student, University of Ibadan (UI), urged ASUU to reopen schools because the strike has affected students’ years of graduation.

“Four-year courses turn to six years. Five- year courses to seven, eight years, which is not good enough. Apart from the waste of time, it also affects one’s resume. I have been forced to change my expected date of graduation on my resume four to five times,” he said.

Oshoniyi Mofiyinfoluwa Aderonke, a 400-Level Human Kinetics and Health Education student of EKSU complained over the inability of secondary school graduates to proceed with their academics because of the ASUU strike.

“It’s two months, secondary school graduates can’t progress with their studies even if they pass UTME except they go to polytechnic or private schools. This strike is not in favour at all. I should graduate by June or so but I’m stuck here. It is slowing my plans. I thought I had paid my last house rent since March 2021 but I have no choice but to renew my rent again.

“As  students, we can only vent our anger and displeasure, but we do not have the capacity, power to do otherwise.

“We want to use this medium to call the attention of the Federal Government to do the needful so as to ensure a smooth academic calendar for students, other than delaying them unnecessarily.

“The government should find a lasting solution to the industrial action that might be embarked on by other University unions to avoid recurrence.

“This strike is  seriously actually affecting students. I think ASUU must  have a rethink and resume. Youths have lost interest in studying and we’re afraid this will go a long way to affect the growth of this country.