On challenges before students

While the prolonged ASUU strike and the lockdown as a result of the first wave of COVID-19 put students in public universities in a dilemma from which they are yet to recuperate,   students will not recuperate soon, the second wave has come adding to the trauma of economic recession which has befallen the nation.

Many people are in dire straits and are living a life of lack and suffering and this will be the first challenge that students will face; many parents at present do not have the wherewithal to cater for the needs of their wards adequately and after spending 225 days (ten months) out of school, most of their things would have been spoiled, stolen or rotted away creating the need to replace them.

There will be academic challenges for many students; the students should prepare for this battle because they will meet lots of problems, I know most students have stopped reading their books and handouts, they will academically resume unprepared and they will have to reread, remember and retain what they were taught before the strike as well as the pandemic. Some institutions will continue writing the first semester examination, while other institutions that are yet to start examinations may continue with the lectures, registrations and other academic activities.

There will be impromptu tests, assignments and other continuous assessment activities, the academic calendar of the various institutions will be amended and shortened, and the students must get ready for this. Also, many will fight environmental challenges especially those living within the campus and hostels; they will now live with rodents and reptiles that have taken over many hostels while those outside campus will not only renew their rents but also contend with the effect of locking up their rooms for months. They would all have lost valuable items including books.

Students residing at off-campus will be the most affected because they might meet their rooms or houses scattered, burgled and their properties stolen due to the encroachment by hoodlums.

It will be very difficult to maintain social distancing and abide by the Covid-19 protocols because many students are still not taking the pandemic serious and will want to explore their independence after staying under the control and monitoring of their parents for almost a year.

Aliyu Idris,

Kano.

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