ASUU strike rolls into day 3 disrupting timetables, budgets

The one-week warning strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities’ (ASUU) has received full compliance from members at tertiary institutions across the country, disrupting academic timetables and the financial budgets of parents. Some students who were supposed to graduate this November would have to wait until January to do their clearance in some universities.

Some families that had budgeted for their children to graduate this year or come on vacation next month are having to re-evaluate their budgets in light of the current academic strike with attendant discomforts and worries given the current economic down turn and rising cost of essential commodities.

“I am really disappointed about what is currently going on. I was supposed to have graduated this November but this will not happen until January. This was not part of my initial plan. My upkeep allowance is spent and my parents are not in the position to help out since I am only one of six children, all still in school at various levels of basic, secondary and tertiary. This is personally devastating” said Oluchi Nnamdi, a final year student at the Benue State University, Markurdi.

Interactions with some parents who volunteered comments showed growing unease and worry. For some parents waiting to get their children into school, they are worried that the uncertainties and possible longer wait brought by the ASUU strike would erode they money have saved for the purpose. Those whose children are already in school are concerned that the ASUU strike has the potential of doubling what they had estimated for this academic session.

“My daughter is waiting for the supplementary admission list into the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. The release of this list is likely to be unduly elongated by this strike. You know, what worries me most is that we have as a family made lots of sacrifices to save the money required for the admission process and eventual tuition fees. Now, with this strike I do not know what to think, if we spend this money on food it will not be funny” said Onome Udong, a vegetable trader at the Kirikiri market, Apapa Local Government Area.

The current one-week strike has received mixed reactions from lecturers. Some think this is the only language the government understands and others believe ASUU should act more responsibly, take the plight of students into account and take part of the blame.

“Since November 2015 the ASUU has written several formal letters to the Federal Government of Nigeria requesting for re-negotiations, these requests were not honoured by the FGN. Strikes are not good for the University system because they disrupt the academic calendar but it appears this is the only language the government understands” said Tunde Fatunde, a professor of foreign languages at the Lagos State University.

Ike Mowete, a professor of Electrical and Electronics engineering at the University of Lagos contends that ASUU should take the plight of students seriously when making these decisions to go on strike. “There are good and dedicated academic staff members in tertiary institutions and I respect them. Now, the flip side of the coin is that there are many who do not really mind whatever happens to students. I never supported ASUU strikes when I was younger and more radical because of some principles and I am not about to start doing so in my old age” he said.