Woes of not just final year students, but others in first, second, and third year - Students lament lost opportunities

Final year students in tertiary institutions affiliated with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) are dismayed at their loss of opportunities ranging from scholarships to jobs as a result of the industrial action embarked upon by the union which hits 199 days today.

Final year students are disheartened by their loss of job opportunities because of the delay in getting their certificates. No thanks to the industrial action embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) over the alleged failure of the Federal Government to accede to their demands. The strike which began on February 14, after a series of extensions, would now run indefinitely.

In a statement, ASUU President Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke said: “In view of the foregoing, and following extensive deliberations on government’s response to the resolution of February 14, 2022 so far, NEC concluded that the demands of the union had not been satisfactorily addressed.

“Consequently, NEC resolved to transmute the roll-over strike to a comprehensive, total and indefinite strike action beginning from 12.01 a.m. on Monday, August 29, 2022.”

This would further compound the woes of not just final year students, but others in first, second and third year as well as intending candidates.

Many students are lamenting that their counterparts in private universities had graduated, received their certificates, started work and  were smiling home with  nice  salaries, while they were still at home waiting for ASUU and the Federal Government to settle their dispute.

“Merely thinking how my university, which is a state-owned institution, could stay this long in the strike without putting us into consideration hurts me more.

“My colleague applied for training and it was certain that he’d be employed as a graduate intern after the training. But he’s not eligible despite the knowledge he had gained. I’m sure he’s not the only one out of millions. Others have their painful stories too,” Anjorin Philip, a final year student of the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba- Akoko (AAUA) said, expressing his frustration.

For Bukola Shabi, a final year student at  Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, the strike has left her short of opportunities.

She said: “I have lost so many opportunities. I expected a quick resolution when the strike started. The demands of the union should have been met.  It’s just unfortunate we have to be the ones bearing the consequences of their negligence.

“So many things I had planned if I graduate this year. Then I applied for jobs only to hear that they were looking for graduates. It is painful.”

Tosin Ologun, final year student at AAUA, said: “The strike has affected me because some jobs a 25-year-old could get, I can’t get them anymore because of my long stay at the university. The strike is time wasting and it is impacting my career. Though I have the experience, but age is not on my side because of the lingering ASUU strike and I hope it ends soon.

“At a  radio station, I’ve been an intern for a year and waiting for my certificate to be part of their staff. Normally, I should have graduated and started working with them, but they can’t staff me because they know I’m still going to school. There are some other job opportunities I can’t apply for now because I’m not qualified as I don’t have  the certificate,” he said.

He urged the Federal Government to find a lasting solution to the lingering strike.

Another final-year student at the University of Ibadan, Babatunde  Balogun said: “There are so many job opportunities and scholarships out there, unfortunately, I’m at crossroads. No certificate to apply for them. Imagine one being out of school for over six months in a country where there is no war. I’m not getting younger. It irks me when I see my peers graduating from private institutions. Gone are the days we were proud of schooling in either federal or state institutions, these values and pride are gone. As it is, I just want to graduate.”

He  also said the  strike had hampered

him from applying for postgraduate studies,  stating that he was using five years for a four-year course.

“The plan was to proceed for postgraduate studies immediately. ASUU strike shattered this dream years ago. It’s heart-wrenching whenever I remember it’s my fifth year in the university pursuing a four-year degree and I am yet to resume classes for my final year.

Balogun implored the Federal Government to meet up with ASUU’s demands.

“In fact, it seems the union is bent on the use of UTAS as against IPPIS for salaries platform. UTAS has been tested and passed the three stages as recommended by NITDA. Once UTAS is approved amid other demands, I think striking lecturers would resume classes.”

Jamiu Abubakar, a final year student at  AAUA, said: “I have lost  opportunities just because of the ASUU strike before and there is another one now, a six-month programme which comes with a monthly stipend of N65,000. But I am scared of telling those in charge I will be resuming back to school after the ASUU strike for three or four months to complete my course.”

Balogun Muktar, a final year student at Federal University  Oye-Ekiti, noted he had planned to explore internship opportunities while serving but the strike made it impossible.

“I definitely had plans like every other finalist. Most importantly, I had a plan to harness an internship opportunity while I serve the country.

‘’Now, I am currently writing and doing some volunteering works. The ASUU strike has been largely destructive for me,” he said.

He pleaded with  the Federal Government and ASUU to find a common ground and settle their differences.

“They should try to find a temporary solution and get  students back to class. It is tiring for all students and parents,” he said.

Promise Eze, a final year student at  Usmanu  Danfodio University Sokoto,  noted that going by his plans, he should have graduated  middle of this year.

His words: “I planned that I should have graduated middle of this year and  before the National Youth Service Corps programme,  I should be out there finding and seeking opportunities for myself. But here I am, stuck at home, stuck with all the big dreams in my head. And it’s not fair. I’m not getting any younger’’.

He urged the union to call off the strike for the sake of students.

Yusuf Olukokun, a student at Federal University  Oye-Ekiti, said: “The fact is I don’t have any job waiting for me. But I’m stuck,  the strike has been a major obstacle for me to see what the labour market has to offer.

He added that he cannot  move forward to look for opportunities because he cannot do some things without his certificate.

“I get annoyed easily, anytime I remember how I have been treated unfairly by the education sector,”  he said.

Olawale Solomon, a 400- Level student at AAUA noted that the ASUU strike has made him lose   many opportunities to work  in a federal ministry.

“As I’m speaking to you, I was asked that after I finish my first degree, that I should bring my Curriculum Vitae, but unfortunately,  ASUU disrupted my plans and age is not on my side. This brings worries to me everyday I think about the opportunities I had. And as we all know, Nigeria is a populous country where many graduates are out looking for employment, so any opportunity someone has should be well utilised.

“But the opportunities I had are gone. My hope of working in a Federal ministry is dashed. It is painful that government  cannot  find an everlasting solution to end  ASUU strike which is over five months,” he said.

He urged the Federal Government to  do the needful and end the strike.

“It is the duty of   government to fund  universities.  The allocation given to education is very small, Federal Government should take education seriously, if not, Nigeria will lag behind  among  developed countries,” he said.

For Tobi Babalola, a student at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, education is no longer a goal to be achieved.

He said: ‘’I’ve encountered a few challenges during this period. I tried applying for a few jobs but never got them because I’m still a student or sometimes, because I don’t have my certificate yet. It’s been tough’’.

“ASUU strike has really delayed and affected my education. At  this point, it is  safe to say that I don’t care much about education anymore. I used to be passionate about education and learning, but after months of strikes and doing nothing, I’ve lost interest.

“The problem is that I can’t move on to the next phase of my life. I’ve started the process of getting a degree and I have to complete it. So, now I’m just stuck in between.

‘’I’m studying a  a four-year course, so I was supposed to graduate last year but due to the pandemic, I got an extra year. I was really hopeful that I would graduate this year, latest by October or November. But, that is not  possible anymore. Another academic year successfully wasted.

“I haven’t even got a project supervisor. I don’t even know what topic my project is going to be on. And it’s going to be hell when school resumes. One would have to balance project writing with normal school activities and stuff.”

On solution to incessant strike, a  Lagos-based lecturer, Dr Ade Benson Akingboye,  called on the federal, state governments and  National Assembly  to find ways to adequately fund universities.

He stressed the need for ‘appropriate pricing of university education through charging of economically justifiable fees public universities.

“We all should check the statistics of fees being charged in private universities in Nigeria, check the fees being charged in public universities and colleges in the USA, UK, Europe, Asia, Middle East and other African countries like Ghana, South Africa, Egypt etc; there, we will all agree that the Nigerian public universities really need to fix appropriate prices in the university system for it to thrive.

“Worthy of note is the pulling out of students and academics in the public university system to foreign and private universities for career fulfillment and dreams actualization in chosen fields of endeavors. The government,  parents, alumni bodies, and the university communities in Nigeria must all rise up to this challenge and get our public universities out of the quagmire to how a good university system can be sustained,” he said.