The prolonged ASUU strike/Corona put public universities students in a dilemma which the students will not recuperate soon, the second wave of economic recession has befall on the nation and commodities are now expensive to buy.
People are now in an excessive scarcity of money, monetary problems are the first problem the students will face, after spending 225 days (ten months) out of school, most of their things will be spoiled, stolen and becoming obsolete, so there is a need to replace them.
Firstly, there will be academic battle, the students should prepare for this battle because they will meet a lot of problems, I know most of the students have stop reading their books and handouts, they will academically resume unprepared and they will have to reread, remember and retain what they were taught before the strike as well as the pandemic. Some institutions will continue writing the first semester examination, while other institutions that are yet to start examinations may continue with the lectures, registrations and other academic activities.
There will be impromptu tests, assignments, and other continuous assessment activities, the academic calendar of the various institutions will be amended and shortened, and the students must get ready for this.
Secondly, students residing in the campus (hostel) will meet another battle, their food items are spoiled and some of the items might expire, they will also lose some valuable items as a result of rodents invasions to their allocated rooms in the hostel, they will also be saddle with responsibility to clean their rooms, chase the cobwebs and the dust out.
Students residing at off-campus (Off-K) situations will be the most deteriorating because they might meet their rooms or houses scattered, burgled and their properties stolen due to the encroachment made by unknown hoodlums or gangs(s). But if they are lucky people are around or living in the area and there is adequate security their belongings are safe, I pray no any student room or house is burgled. Rodents and other pests may have destroyed some of their properties.
Landlord disturbance is also another battle to fight, some rented rooms of the students payment expired and there is need for them to renew their subscription for the rent, this is another impediment for the greatest Nigerians students in the Off-K (Off-Campus).
Thirdly, it will become an arduous task to maintain social distancing and abide by the Covid19 protocol, this is also another battle for not only the students but for the universities and the nation.
The concerned students should start preparation for their battles and the excruciating pains that awaits them as the outsiders will anticipate hearing different stories of their battles.
Aliyu Idris writes from Department of English and Literary Studies, Bayero University Kano.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Sky Daily
