IMSU Students Frustrated as Lecturers Begin Indefinite Strike During Exams

Imo State University (IMSU) students have expressed frustration after lecturers, under the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), began an indefinite strike during ongoing second-semester exams. The strike, which started on September 20, 2024, stems from unresolved issues with the state government, including salary disparities, unpaid benefits, and underfunding of the university. Students, especially final-year ones, are concerned about delays in their academic progress.

Chris Oyeoku Okafor Chris Oyeoku Okafor
Sep 23, 2024 - 13:22
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IMSU Students Frustrated as Lecturers Begin Indefinite Strike During Exams

Imo State University (IMSU) students have expressed frustration following the announcement of an indefinite strike by their lecturers under the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), which began during ongoing second-semester exams. The strike, which commenced on Friday, September 20, 2024, has disrupted academic activities, leaving students uncertain about the completion of their exams and the start of a new academic session.

The ASUU-IMSU strike comes after several unsuccessful attempts to address long-standing grievances with the state government. Among the lecturers' demands are:

  • Promotions without financial benefits since 2016.
  • Salary disparity between ASUU-IMSU members and other tertiary institutions.
  • Delays in staff assessment and promotions.
  • Non-repayment of earned academic allowances since 2009.
  • Non-remittance of union check-off/welfare dues (February 2020 to September 2021).
  • Non-remittance of pension deductions since May 2016.
  • Failure to pay annual salary increments.
  • Inclusion of IMSU in the Treasury Single Account (TSA).
  • Inadequate funding for the university.
  • Threats to university autonomy.

ASUU-IMSU had previously issued a 21-day ultimatum and engaged in meetings, rallies, and press releases in efforts to resolve these issues, but with no resolution in sight, the lecturers resorted to strike action.

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The strike has sparked outrage among students, many of whom are in the middle of their exams. A final-year student, who spoke anonymously, shared their frustration with the disruption:

"We started our exams on September 17, and I have three papers left. Embarking on the strike now is a bad move. We already faced a 9-month strike in 2022. I just want to graduate," she lamented.

Unconfirmed reports circulating on campus suggest that students should wait until Monday to see if the strike will persist. However, there is no official statement from the university administration regarding this.

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Another student, Felix (name changed), who is currently on industrial training, expressed similar concerns:

"I'm unhappy about the strike, even though I'm on IT. It’s delaying our progress. We’re tired of this recurring issue."

The strike could potentially extend the duration of undergraduate programs, as has been the case with previous industrial actions by public university staff across Nigeria.

IMSU students are now anxiously awaiting the outcome of the strike, hoping for a swift resolution to prevent further delays in their academic calendar. The lecturers remain steadfast in their demands, with no immediate solution in sight.

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