Law students of the Usmanu
Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (UDUS) are worried by the ongoing Academic
Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike, which could prevent them from
being mobilised for their Law School programme.
For final year Law students of Usman
Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (UDUS), the ongoing Academic Staff Union of
Universities (ASUU) strike came at a wrong time. The strike has put
them on a tight corner because it may jeopardise their chances of going
to the Law School this year. If by the end of this month ASUU does not
call of the strike, the students will have to wait for another one year
before going to the Nigerian Law School.
The Law School opens in October every
year and the names of students must get to the authorities at least four
weeks before posting. But with no end in sight of the ASUU strike, the
students are jittery because they do not want to waste a year at home
doing nothing.
In a Save Our Soul (SoS), they have
cried out to the management and the UDUS chapter of ASUU to consider
their plight and allow them to write their second semester examination
so as to be part of the students proceeding to the Law School in
October.
The ASUU began an indefinite strike on July 1, to demand the implementation of the 2009 agreement with the Federal Government.
Before the strike, the university had
witnessed an unsteady academic calendar. In May, a violent midnight
demonstration by students protesting epileptic power supply led to the
destruction of a part of the Vice-Chancellor’s residence.
The management closed the campus for
more than four weeks over the strike. The incident occured a few days to
the start of the second semester examination.
The campus was re-opened on June 19 and examination started five days after, before the ASUU strike disrupted the exercise.
The final year Law Students’ papers were
rushed for them to meet up with the Law School admission period. When
the lecturers declared indefinite strike, the students had four more
papers to write. Initially, the Law students had a six-month abridged
period to run their LLB programme in order to meet up with the admission
into the Law School.
Six weeks into the strike, the prospect of the students of making it to the Law School seems uncertain.
To the beleaguered students, the
situation is frustrating. They appealed to the university to consider
their future and allow them to complete the remaining four papers.
Unlike their counterparts in the Nnamdi
Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, and the University of Lagos (UNILAG)
whose examination were not affected by the strike, the students may not
be mobilised for the Bar programmes, if by the first week of September,
their names did not get to the Registrar of the Law School.
Mustapha Aliero, a student, wondered why
the local chapter of ASUU would make “an unkind decision” not to allow
them write the remaining papers. “I don’t understand the whole logic
behind the stance of ASUU in this school. The UNIZIK made sacrifice for
their students and UNILAG ensured that its students completed their
exams before joining the strike. Why is ours different?” he querried.
Abdulkadir Monsoor said: “If we are not
mobilised like our colleagues in other schools, the development may
affect the performance of students in the Law School. The situation must
be looked into.”
Rafat Damilola urged ASUU to call off
the strike, advising the lecturers to employ other means in agitating
for their demands in the interest of the students.
Will the school allow the students to
finish their examination? The Dean of the Faculty, Prof M.L Ahmadu,
could not be reached for comment because of his recent appointment as
the Deputy Vice-Chancellor on academics.
However, there are indications that the faculty may look into the students’ case after the Ramadan fasting.
Still unsure of what may happen, the
students did not leave the campus as no one knows whether they could be
called on to write the papers.
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I wonder why UDUS no allow students FINISH their second SEMESTER EXAMS.
ReplyDeleteUNIZIK, UNILAG even UNN is currently CONDUCTING EXAMS 4 their PG students. UDUS ASUU joined the STRIKE as if they were POLITICALLY MOTIVATED to do so.
I tire 4 this MUMU COUNTRY O!