FUNMILAYO AREMU and VINCENT KURAUN report that parents and students are feeling the pains of the endless ASUU strike, noting that while some students have found something to engage themselves, others are whiling away the time even as their parents fear for the worst.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities has been on a strike action for about six months now since 14th of February, a situation which has grounded all activities in public universities nationwide. It would be the 16th industrial action embarked upon by the union since 1999 when the country returned to civilian rule.
Since the strike began in February, series of meetings had been held by the union leaders on one hand and the federal government on the other to resolve the thorny issues which gave rise to the action, but it appears ASUU is not ready to back down or compromise on its demands, just as the federal government continues to drag its feet in meeting the demands of the varsity teachers.
There was a glimmer of hope last Tuesday, when the union leaders met with the federal government again, but after hours of the meeting, that faint hope of an end to the tortuous experience of thousands of students and their parents would later dissolve into thin air just as previous efforts at rapprochement. Unfortunately, students in their final years who should have been done with their first degrees and be ready for their youth service are not finding the whole scenario funny at all, just as some others who had other plans, such as pursuing their post-graduate degrees abroad or even getting married.
It was indeed tales of agony and frustration from these students and their parents when Sunday Tribune engaged some of them to know how they have been enduring the involuntary break at home. But for many others, the strike did not come to them as a surprise as they had long prepared themselves for the worst.
One of such students, who claimed he knew the agonising experience studying in government owned tertiary institutions had become, is Pelumi Olayinka.
While sharing his experience with Sunday Tribune, Olayinka, a 500-level student of the Department of Civil Engineering, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Niger State, disclosed that he had prepared himself not to be unduly affcted by the strike long before ASUU declared the industrial action. According to him, he already had what is normally called a “side hustle,” which the strike had enabled him to focus fully on.
“I have long acquired and have been engaging in a business before the strike started. So, when the strike commenced, I was able to focus better on my business. My partners and I have been able to have a push in the company. We co-founded the business which deals in construction of residential and commercial buildings, geophysical survey, borehole drilling, installation of pumps and water treatment, land survey plan, building plan, real estate services and general merchandise.
“The strike has made us to come up with a better idea on how to go about our business. I have also been able to improve on my skill, which is Forex Trading. I have learnt more about it and have been able to train more people. All of these would have been postponed till after graduation, but since the strike has stopped all academic activities, I have used the time to keep busy,” Olayinka narrated.
Chinagorom Okorie, a student of the Department of Science Laboratory Technology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, told Sunday Tribune that since the strike started, she has been working on her soap, shampoo and perfume production brand. She has also taken it upon herself to have online classes where she trains others, especially students for a fee.
Another student, DamilolaOladunjoye, of the Department of Public Administration, University of Abuja, said since the strike started, she has been helping her mother with her business and has also devised some means of making money for herself.
“Since the strike commenced, I have been working at my mom’s shop, where she bakes cakes and handles decoration gigs. However, this does not keep me busy enough, so, I also do some dance tutoring in my time of leisure,” she narrated.
For Bisi (not real name), a student from the Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, these last six months have not been totally wasted. She has deployed her time helping her mother like Oladunjoye and refuelling her crreative energy as a budding poet.
“At first, I had to help my mum out with her business,” she recalled, adding that she had also devised the method of helping herself to develop a career.
“I am a poet; a singer and songwriter, so I was busy writing poems, writing lyrics, collaborating with a producer. At one point it became hard to keep up. There were online courses I wanted to take, but I actually didn’t take them seriously. So, I am just stuck with making covers to songs, and writing poems,” she said.
Another student of Obafemi Awolowo University, in the Department of Civil Engineering, AyomideAlabi, has also deployed his knowledge of engineering to keep himself busy and to earn some money by devoting more time to structural design. Luckily, for him, some months back, he found a site where he currently works and that, according to him, has keeps him busy.
But while these students claimed that they have adjusted to their involuntary life away from school by engaging themselves in odds and ends, the strike which, has not only stalled academic progression, has taken so much from them also. All of them admitted sadly that it has disrupted the life-plans. According to AdeolaOlatoye, the strike has made her to miss several golden opportunities that were time-bound.
Though Damilola said she had engaged in teaching dance online to while away time, that was not the original plan she had as she would have graduated this month (August)n if not for the strike. Her plan was to relocate to a foreign country after the completion of her youth service.
“Originally, I was meant to graduate this month (August). In fact, I was meant to sign out of school this week. But due to the strike, I am still stuck in 400-level. My initial plan was to go for service next year, finish up and leave the country for greener pastures, but because of this delay, I’ll have to postpone my plans till God knows when.
“The annoying part is, because of this strike, the possibility of leaving the country has reduced, because I have missed the chance I was meant to use,” she said, bemoaning the fate federal government and ASUU have forced on her.
Damilola is not alone in this situation. PelumiOlayinka also disclosed that he had planned to further his education overseas by next year, but that seems impossible now.
“I had it in mind at my final level to opt for a Master’s degree abroad in 2023, but I don’t think that might work out again next year, because of the delay and my youth service too. I had already planned everything. But all the plans have fallen apart,” he lamented.
As for Bisi, she said she had programmed her mind that she would graduate this year though that hope had disappeared, returning to school won’t be easy at all.
“I will be resuming as an undergraduate, when already had this ‘year of graduation’ in mind. This sounds like an excuse, but when a break in school activities happens, I tend to be very idle because there is this part of me that keeps thinking we would soon resume and I don’t pick up anything to learn. Procrastination sets in, phone addiction sets in and in the long run it gets really hard to focus.
“I am getting older, time is being wasted, but I’m not gaining skills and when breaks get too long, on resumption, one tends to not remember a lot; so, someone like me would mostly read to pass, not to understand. On graduating, I doubt there would be so much knowledge to dwell on. So, (having) average knowledge, average skills…; it is not a good situation.
Ayomide and Chinagorom both believe that if the strike had not happened, they would also have been graduates by now and well on their way to the end of their youth service. Likewise, for Esther Ojo, a student from the Department of Zoology, OAU, Ile Ife, if not for the strike, she would currently be on her youth service programme, after which she planned to get a job, make money, get married and have children.
Another student, OkikiolaKabir from the Department of mathematics, Usman Dan Fodio University Sokoto, said the strike has also destroyed his plans as “I don’t have anything in my head now. We’re not even thinking about books anymore. It has really affected me. I have spent years in school when I ought to have graduated. Some of my friends who attended polytechnics have graduated and are currently undergoing their youth service while we’re doing nothing. I should be in my final year now, rounding up with my studies, I have set a plan and now it has been shifted.”
Like other students, Adoboh Jeremiah Ngutor of Benue State University, Makurdi, and Uzoma Blessing, a student of University of Nigeria, Nsukka, are disappointed with the educational system in the country. Though they both want the strike to end, they have found some means to keep busy. Blessing on her part has become “engaged in learning graphics design and still looking forward to learn more.”
Agony of parents
Parents are also not smiling either. A parent who pleaded anonymity and has three undergraduate said the strike has affected her in so many ways. According to her: “The eldest (child) is in his final year, while the younger ones are in 300-level and 100-level respectively. We can’t say the lecturers should not fight for their rights, but the future of our children is at stake as well. My first born has spent six years in school due to the consistent strike action, whereas, he is meant to spend just four years.
“Ever since they have been at home, they have had to look for something to do. We thought the strike would not take too long, but when we saw that there was no end in sight, they all went to learn a vocation. So, the strike is affecting both parents and children, because seeing our children at home is not giving us joy,” she groaned.
A retired head-teacher, Mrs Christiana Otemade, is similarly affected. Her son is already spending his fifth year in school with no terminal date in sight. She said: “My son should have gone for youth service, but he is currently at home eating and sleeping; we can all remember that in 2020, ASUU had been on strike before COVID 19 started, during that time I had to send my son to go and learn barbing.
“I really do not know what to say because the lecturers are fighting a just cause, some of their children also attend these universities and definitely, someone who has worked must get paid.
“I also remember how we teachers also protested and embarked on strike actions then, when our demands were not met. The situation in the country is disheartening, and I pray our deliverance comes in earnest.”
Chief Oliver Ozoaku feels sad about the endless strike. He said: “For us as parents you wake up in the morning, you leave home and come back to see your children. The truth is that, no matter how cosy your home is, they (the children) are not in an environment where they can study. They can only read for a few weeks and they get bored. To even well eat is an issue. It has affected them so much. They are dejected through no faults of theirs. So, it is not an easy thing for us parents.
“I’m disturbed because these children have targets. I don’t know how they want to resolve it, I really don’t understand. I feel for my children because this thing has made them to begin to connect with the wrong people on the street that they ordinarily don’t even play with. They are now entering into wrong hands.
“Yes, they might come out tomorrow as graduates but there is a crack already. We are complaining about the ones who have graduated but not employed. For me, we have already started paying the price for our poor planning for education. It is unfortunate!”
Mr Isaac Odili, on his own part said: “it is very disheartening. Financially, we the parents are suffering because, before our children went to school, we had made some provisions for food stuff and paid for accommodation which is being wasted. Socially too, it is affecting the students. Now they are just idling away at home and they are not happy being at home. Most of them who have secured a job are fortunate but others not and if your child is not happy, the parent will also not be happy. So, it is a very terrible situation and our prayer is that the federal government should address the issue soonest.
“The idea of pushing their request into 2023 budget is uncalled for. It means they are saying that the strike should linger on. So, when we read this kind of stories, we feel so bad and because we don’t have options, the funds are not there, otherwise, it would have being advisable for we the parents to either send our children to private universities or send them abroad.”
For Mrs Nkechi Evelyn, the strike has made many students to lose interest in education, and there is this great fear that some of them will not be willing to go back to school to complete their studies when the strike is called off simply because they have become engaged with other things.
“I am a working-class parent and I am not always comfortable when I am at work and my children who are supposed to be in school are at home doing nothing; or when I am back from work and they are not at home despite providing for their needs. As a parent I am always worried about the whereabouts of my children. Some are ready to get a job by all possible means and by so doing, they can easily fall into wrongs hands,” she said.
With the last meeting between the federal government and ASUU stalemated, the little hope of a resolution has virtually disappeared many parents are worried that with the political scene becoming busier by the day especially by the beginning of next month the hope of resuming academic activities any time soon this year, might just have totally disappeared.
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