Nigerian public university students have had forced holidays for almost a year, thanks to an industrial action by University lecturers and COVID-19.
The onset of the pandemic in Nigeria coincided with a strike action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) but the real impact would not show its face until the first wave of the disease settled and academic activities resumed in the country, except in public universities.i
Endless negotiations, multiple deadlocks and a lengthened strike frustrated Nigerian students, thousands of whom were about graduating from school. The delay in resumption ensured many missed out on scholarships, foreign postgraduate admissions and many other opportunities.
Nigerian undergraduates are some of the smartest in the world, with regular appearances in global contests standing them out on occasions. They are also some of the best postgraduate students in foreign universities. However, constant strike actions by lecturers and recently, an unseen and never-seen-before disease has ensured they wait at home for longer than expected.
Most of these students have taken up other means, with many of them chasing livelihood outside the confines of their classrooms. While many have enrolled in Forex trading, some others have taken up buying and selling of cryptocurrencies, with no exclusion of the many who have taken to different crafts. The belief is Nigerian universities are known to delay students’ graduation and just studying is not enough.
ASUU has since reached an agreement with the Nigerian government and called off the 9-month long strike, but the resumption date set by the government may not be feasible.
University lecturers in the country say the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic is scary and without adequate structures and safety provisions in place, it is risky allowing students back into classrooms.
Nigeria’s coronavirus numbers are growing geometrically and citizens are scared. With over 100,000 cases already reported, there are fears that huge infection numbers may come out of Nigeria’s large students population.
ASUU is demanding the Nigerian government’s assurances that lecturers and students will be kept safe.
“We have no objection to the resumption of universities. ASUU has suspended its strike and our members are ready to work, ” the group’s President, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi said.
“However, the health and safety of our members as well as our students must be guaranteed.
“I hope the government will work it out together with the university authorities to ensure that this second wave of COVID-19 does not affect the health and safety of the university communities.
“We ask the government to do what they did in the aviation industry: let them evaluate the level of preparedness and let them tell Nigerians that with what they have seen they can guarantee that if the students return, if lecturers have classes, there will be no adverse consequences.”
The Nigerian government in its response has said the resumption date, 18th of January, will be reviewed amid growing number of infections but there are no promises that the date will be extended.
There are divergent opinions by Nigerian students on the resumption with many demanding that the date stays, while others want it extended.
“As regards schools, I just want to make a clarification, what the minister said yesterday was that they were going to review, he didn’t say that they were going to change the date. He said they will review the situation and let the nation know, ” Dr. Sani Aliyu, the National Coordinator of Nigeria’s Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 said.
“So, for the moment, it is still 18th January until the ministry of education comes back either with an alternative date or reconfirm that.”
Chairman of the Task Force and Secretary to the Nigerian government, Boss Mustapha blamed the rising COVID-19 cases on the reopening of some schools (mostly private), airports without adequate measures for orevention of the disease.
“It is however very instructive to stress that factors that have contributed to rise in numbers from late November 2020 included increased local and international travels, business and religious activities, reopening of schools without strict compliance with COVID-19 safety measures, ” he said.
Nigerian students may have to wait on the government to see if academic activities will finally resume but in the absence of the physical opening of schools, some public universities like the University of Ilorin, in Nigeria’s North Central have embarked on virtual classes.
This hasn’t come without its challenges and criticisms, with internet connection in the country and power, being big bottlenecks.
The coming days will tell if university undergraduates in the country will have an extended, albeit, enforced holiday or finally resume classes, after almost a year’s pause on their academic progression.