ABU announced 24th October for resumption but lectures begin nine weeks later.
Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) has announced a date for the resumption of academic activities.
In a bulletin released after a Senate meeting on Wednesday, the university announced 24th October for the resumption of academic activities.
However, lectures for undergraduate students begin on 3rd January, nine weeks after the resumption date.
According to the calendar, the school scheduled the first nine weeks after 24th October for the completion of students’ registration, consideration of outstanding results by the Standing Committee, Post Graduate examination seminar and external examinations, and Christmas and New Year breaks.
Undergraduate students of the university, who have been at home for the eight months strike by their lecturers, have expressed displeasure over the extended calendar.
Lamenting the extended calendar, a student of the school, Mustapha Ahmed, said after eight months of students’ solidarity with the lecturers’ action, their reward was an additional ‘waste of time.’
“More reasons why students don’t support the so-called strike. All these tactics are to see whether the outstanding salary will be paid or not. How many PG students protested as we demonstrated it’s so heartbreaking … ” he wrote on Facebook.
Another student, Solomon Ameh, lamented that the extension meant he could not be part of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) when he finally graduated. “… but this isn’t fair to us. My 5 years course ID expires next year and I am still in first semester 300 Level. This calendar isn’t friendly to us. Some of us can’t serve because of this calendar,” he wrote.
Most Nigerian universities that have announced resumption dates, in the aftermath of the ASUU Strike, are to resume academic activities immediately.
ASUU has maintained that the strike was suspended in obedience to the ruling of the industrial court and that it would pursue the case with the government.
The lecturers’ eight months’ salaries have also not been paid, as the government is yet to shift grounds on its No Work, No Pay stance.
Qosim Suleiman is a reporter at Premium Times in partnership with Report for the World, which matches local newsrooms with talented emerging journalists to report on under-covered issues around the globe