Students of the University of Ibadan, in Oyo State, have applauded the suspension of the industrial action by university lecturers, following the decision of the Academic Staff Unions of Universities (ASUU) to suspend the eight-month-old strike.
Although no lecturer was sighted in any classroom when Voice of Nigeria’s correspondent visited the campus, the students, in a chat with the correspondent, were full of commendation for the suspension of the strike and expressed readiness to begin academic activities, lamenting that they had been through a lot in the last eight months.
The students, who appealed to the lecturers to begin teaching as soon as possible because so much of their time had been wasted, equally appealed to both the Federal Government and the leadership of ASUU to resolve all lingering issues on time, in order not to disrupt the academic session again.
The President of the Student Union Government of the University of Ibadan, Comrade Adewole Adeyinka, expressed happiness that the eight-month-old strike had been suspended and called on other students to resume school as soon as possible because it is time they continued their education.
“We are happy that both the Federal Government and ASUU have reached a common ground. And for us students, this is the right time to wake up the zeal of education and come back to campus, so we are happy that our education is continuing.
“Our major statement is that they should not only call upon ASUU during the strike, they should call upon ASUU everytime so that they can see a way forward in revitalising the Nigerian educational system,” he appealed.
Another Union leader, Benedict Adetunji and a student, Ibitoye Jeremiah, both equally urged the Federal Government and ASUU to come to an agreement so that such a strike would not occur for a long time to come and enjoined students to cooperate with the authorities of their respective institutions for peace to reign in the country’s ivory towers.
It was observed that some students had started opening their hostels, with many bringing out mattresses and bedspreads to dry in the sun, while some others were also seen dusting their apartments and others seen returning to the school premises.
PIAK
