University students in Nigeria are presently frustrated by the country’s educational system with frequent strikes that destrupt the academic calendar, keeping them away from schools where they are supposed to be acquiring the required knowledge to prepare for the future.
Early this year, precisely on February 14, 2022, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) announced a one-month warning strike after accusing the Federal Government of going back on previous agreements including a pact to increase funding for public universities. This industrial action has continued for close to seven months now.
The ongoing ASUU strike is a major setback to Nigeria’s educational system as it has not only slowed down the already set academic calendar but has rendered students’ effort to reconcile with their desired grades futile.
It is painful to note that this is the second industrial action in less than two years. Therefore, the current strike calls for urgent concern because if it is not properly handled as it is appearing or immediately called off, it could completely ground the educational system in Nigeria. Currently, some parents who have the financial muscles are moving their children to private universities, while others are sending theirs to neighbouring countries like Ghana to study. Those who cannot afford these luxuries have remained stranded at home. Some, for lack of what to do, have taken to the streets and crime rate is on the increase every day.
Other downsides are more years to stay in school before graduation, the toll on students’ mental health, waste of already paid rents, with the most dreaded being the tremendous rush in the academic calendar whenever schools resume.
This happens to be the sixteenth ASUU strike since Nigeria returned to democracy in 1999, and one would have thought that things would be better in a democratic system of government. Despite these long strikes, there is not much to show for it and that is another thing to worry about.
It is, therefore, important to implore students to make use of this period to build themselves in their areas of interest, invest deeply in personal development, learn and nurture a skill and, most importantly, stay positive, be hopeful and stay out of trouble.
PRECIOUS NKWOPARA
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