Ikenna Ezeobi received admission into one in every of Nigeria’s public universities on the age of 18 to check a five-year course. He was a sufferer of recurring strikes by the Tutorial Workers Union of Universities (ASUU), which made him lose one educational yr, thereby extending his keep on campus to 6 years.
Along with having his programme spilled over in opposition to his want, Ezeobi was additionally unluckily not deployed earlier for the obligatory Nationwide Youth Service Corps (NYSC) as he waited for an additional six months earlier than continuing to service for one yr.
When he accomplished his NYSC programme, he headed for the labour market to submit his curriculum vitae (CV) as a recent graduate with Second-Class Higher (2:1) division.
It was at this level that it grew to become clearer to Ezeobi that the ASUU strikes that prolonged his commencement time did extra hurt than he may have imagined as a pupil.
When Ezeobi may realise that the utmost age for entry degree jobs is 25 years, the younger graduate was already 26 years after these years. (18 years+ 5 years+ one yr+ six months+ one yr).
The recurring ASUU strikes are placing a number of Nigerian undergraduates in deprived positions within the labour market once they graduate.
As a result of variety of years spent at house and faculty, many are sometimes over-aged for jobs in banks, oil corporations and a number of other organisations.
For Jessica Osuere, founder/CEO of RubiesHub Academic Companies, it’s a unhappy state of affairs, with college students and fogeys all the time on the receiving ends of those countless strikes.
“It’s a typical ‘when two elephants battle, the grass suffers’ state of affairs. Every strike or protest is one other wound to a fragile schooling system.
“Till ASUU and the federal authorities shift from confrontation to collaboration, college students will stay trapped on this vicious cycle of disruptions,” she stated.
Learn additionally: Inside 16-yr–old ASUU-FG deal that turned lecturers to ‘strikers’
It’s now not new that for many years, Nigerian college college students have discovered themselves trapped within the crossfire of an endless battle between ASUU and the federal authorities.
Recurring strikes, stalled educational calendars, and extended negotiations have disrupted college students’ schooling, leaving many unsure about their future.
Whereas each events defend their positions, it’s the college students who proceed to bear the brunt of this institutional impasse, being victims of a system marred by distrust, damaged guarantees, and coverage failures.
Stakeholders consider that college students who’re able to advance however are compelled to attend for 2 or extra additional years to graduate could develop into disillusioned with the schooling system.
In line with the United Nations Kids’s Fund (UNICEF), Nigeria had 18.3 million college students or youngsters shut out of college in 2024. This clearly is worrisome in a rustic the place dropout charges are already a urgent challenge.
Busayo Aderounmu, a senior lecturer at Covenant College, a sufferer of ASUU strike, decried the vicious circle of the strike.
“I’m a product of the consequences of strike actions because it affected our educational years whereas at school. Some individuals won’t resume after the strike due monetary points. Girls develop into pregnant and a few of them wouldn’t be capable of address the rigours of mixing research with baby bearing.”
Erosion of belief in public tertiary schooling
Stakeholders specific considerations that ASUU’s recurring strikes erode college students’ belief in public tertiary schooling.
Nubi Achebo, director of educational planning at Nigerian College of Expertise and Administration (NUTM), stated one of many implications of the deadlock between ASUU and federal authorities is decreased belief in public schooling.
“Frequent strikes erode belief in Nigeria’s public schooling system, pushing mother and father and college students towards non-public universities or international establishments,” he stated.
Equally, Reward Osikoya, a instructor, emphasised that strikes solid doubts on public larger establishments.
“Frequent strikes can tarnish the fame of Nigerian public universities, making them much less engaging to potential college students,” she famous.
With the recurring ASUU strikes, an 18-year-old pupil of a college admitted for a five-year Legislation research would find yourself spending seven to eight years earlier than commencement. Therefore, could be out of the college at 26 years-27 years. With an extra one yr for NYSC, she or he could be 28 years when prepared for employment.
Learn additionally: ASUU protest gains momentum as UNILAG, UNN, others join
Coincidentally, most multinational firms in Nigeria implement an age restrict of 24 years to 25 years for graduate trainees.
Aderounmu, earlier quoted, reiterated that strikes lengthen educational calendar and delay college students’ coming into the labour market.
“In a state of affairs the place some jobs specify age limits, such people could also be exempted as a result of their ages can be above what’s required.
“As an illustration, I spent two years at 100 degree because of strike actions and faculty closures,” she recounted.
Window for extra international universities
Nigeria is experiencing a surge in demand for international schooling, with a rising variety of college students searching for alternatives overseas within the face of recurring ASUU strikes.
ASUU’s steady strike is seen eroding belief within the public universities, and a window for extra public tertiary establishments to determine in Nigeria.
Additionally, Nigerian mother and father who can afford non-public universities, particularly international ones, ship their youngsters there to keep away from losing their peak years.
In line with Osikoya, the recurring strikes have the tendency to push some college students into learning overseas, leading to a lack of international alternate for the nation.
Creates holes in mother and father’ purses
Stakeholders preserve that ASUU-FG deadlock drains many mother and father financially.
Aderounmu stated it causes monetary pressure for folks who have no idea the precise time their youngsters will graduate.
Osuere, earlier quoted, emphasised that oldsters bear the brunt of the strike financially, as they help their youngsters longer than they’d deliberate on campus.
Different route
Friday Erhabor, director of media and methods at Marklenez Restricted, urged the union discover one other avenue of expressing its grievances with the federal government aside from by way of strikes.
“ASUU ought to discover various technique of reaching their targets. The speed at which they go on strike has demonstrated that the technique will not be working. That isn’t to say that the federal authorities should not do the precise factor,” he stated.
