It has been Seven months now since the beginning of this Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike, which affects all the Federal Universities across the country, and the sales of businessmen and women who solely depend on the activities of the academics to make ends meet.
The strike was recorded to have started on the 14th of February, earlier this year which seemed to be a warning strike then, but now turn out to be an indefinite one due to the unfruitful meetings held by both parties involved; the FG and ASUU.
The reason is that the unfulfilled payment scheme and low payment of salaries among other reasons are yet to be settled. But who is this affecting the most? The FG, the ASUU, or the Students that have been left to sit at home for seven good months without any hope of resuming any time soon. We all know the answer to that.
The previous strike that took place about a year ago, and has helped make the reality known to a few students back then, and even some now. A lot of students have been engaged in various activities in other to survive this period and make the best use of it.
Either positively or negatively engaged, both certainly exist but we are going to look into the 6 things most Nigerian students have done during this Lingering ASUU strike.
Let’s have a clearer view.
1. Acquisition of Vocational Skills
According to research, the majority of Federal University student is either skilled in one or two vocational skills before gaining admission to the University, while some learn them during their stay in the school. This fact is Undisputable because based on the way the Economic system of the country and the way how Culture has influenced us, having a vocational skill is one of the best ways to increase one’s income and also better the standard of living of the individual.
Having that in the background, a lot of Nigerian students have been noticed to have swayed fully into learning the vocational skills of their choice, either willingly or be it needed for sustainability. And this has placed its effect well generally in them and the society.
2. Acquisition of Digital Skills
There are a lot of schools that we have around us now, and one of them is the thought of working without having to be at work physically, that is working remotely.
The word remotely has been noticed to have also been used most frequently by all during this period and this can only be possible with the help of Digital skills. Learning Digital skills is the escape route from not learning a vocational skill, and this has proven effective in how the majority of the Students even cases Lecturers themselves have been swayed into learning Digital skills grossly. This is very much expected to be part of the list of the things student have been engaging their selves with during the ASUU strike
3. Japa Arrangement
For some, not all, but the majority of Gen Z are willing to get their way out of this Country to either further their education or find a better means of living.
According to a consensus carried out by the Immigration sector of Nigeria, they experienced a drastic increase in the immigration rate in Nigeria during the ASUU strike period. Although, it is a proven fact that the immigration rate was always on the high side but it skyrocket during this period and this made evident that students are crossing the Borders to seek Greener pastures.
4. Community service/volunteering
Yes, you read that well. It is one of the things Nigerian Students are doing this period. Have you heard of the Plogging team? Someone you know must have, they are one of the Volunteering organizations that their service to a better community without anything in return.
So definitely they earn their position here in the list of the thing Nigerian students are doing during the ASUU strike.
5. Entrepreneurship/Career Internships
For the students that are the most affected; everyone is affected but you can imagine just having a few months to complete your program and this ASUU strike happens, yes, they are the most affected… Final Year Students.
But it is very good to know that most of these sets of students are putting the best use of this Time into either starting their own business or pursuing the internship in line with their career Job.
This will help in terms of Job Creation and experience building in their specific career.
6. Watching Movies and Sleeping
If we do not talk about this, we will be offending a lot of our audience. Yes here you have it, Majority of the student population who are usually new to the ASUU-FG saga are mostly found in this category.
We also have students who are very keen on the monthly releases of movies and are also experts when it comes to the repeated cycle. Repeated cycle I mean; Sleep-wake- eat- sleep again and repeat. They happen to be the most frustrated student in the whole category.
7. Professional Exams
We cannot leave the fact that the series of professional exams that are taking place during this period of the ASUU strike serves as an opportunity for the concerned students during their stay at home. Some of these Exams include ICAN, IT, etc.
The ASUU strike has been a very hectic Journey between the two parties and We have been able to run through the major activities most students engage themselves in, to pass the time and wait for the resumption that is yet to be defined.
Did we miss what you have been doing all this while, please let us know in the comment section?
