By Gabriel Dike, Paul Osuyi, Chijioke Agwu And Ighomuaye Lucky
University teachers and students sing discordant tunes on the directive by the Federal Ministry of Education that universities, polytechnics and colleges of education should shut down between February 22 and March 14 for the 2023 elections
It’s step in right direction
– Chamberlain Egbulefu, Associate Professor, Benson Idahosa University, Benin
The closure of higher intuitions at this point in time is a step in the right direction. It will enable students to participate in the general elections. Besides, the closure of schools will ensure that families are together because no one is sure what the outcome of the elections will be. The action will help parents monitor the activities of their children within this period.
Shutdown is pointless
-Vincent Uche, student, University of
Benin.
This closure for three weeks because of the election may lead to an extension of our semester by three weeks, which is going to affect our education because nobody knows if they are going to shift exams. To me, three weeks seem like a very long time to just let go. Had it been it is one week, some days before the elections and some days after the elections, that would have made more sense but as it is now, the thing is pointless.
It has positive, negative
impacts
– Dr. Dennis Enegesele, lecturer
The decision of has both positive and negative impacts on education. On the positive side, the Federal Government wants to avoid the use of tertiary students by politicians to disrupt the election process. It will also help some students and staff to travel to their respective places where they have registered to vote. On the negative side is the fact that the order will disrupt the tertiary academic calendar, as most lecturers will need to cover up for the lost weeks. Besides, some lecturers and students would rather prefer travelling to be with their families instead of staying back in school to cast their vote.
It might be based on security concerns
-Anderson Ezeibe, President, Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP)
I am not privy to the security intel available to the government leading to the decision. If such intel is reliable and verifiable, then one can say that it is a proper step for the institutions to be shut down in view of the volatility of the season and the vulnerable position of the students.
Not a priority for us
– Folarin Adesina, student, University of Lagos.
Why would students who registered in Lagos be sent home because of election? This is not a major priority for students. We want to graduate and leave the campus. I and many others have over stayed. The directive should have been optional.
FG action extremely lawless
– Dr. Adelaja Odukoya, ASUU Lagos Zone Coordinator
This is extremely lawless and a violation of the powers of the university Senate. It also shows the low priority of the government for education given that the universities are still struggling to recover from the last eight and half months strike. A government that has wickedly and unjustly criminalized strike by refusing to pay university lecturers their salaries for a strike forced on them as a consequence of its breach of agreement with ASUU is shamelessly, irrationally and selfishly forcing the universities nationwide to close because it has to do with its hijacking state power for another four years not to liberate and empower Nigerians but for a fresh opportunity to oppress and exploit the Nigerian people. The law of Karma, sooner than later, will visit these conscienceless power mongers.
It’s a welcome development –Eze Nwonu, student, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki
I welcome the directive of the NUC to schools to close for elections. For me, the NUC directive is a welcome development because we need to be at home during the elections to be able to vote like other Nigerians. The NUC should equally direct schools to extend the current academic calendar to make up for the period we are going to miss during the holidays.
An aberration to education
sector -Hyacinth Odogwu, student
Sincerely, that is an aberration to the education sector. If actually we have a good government, I don’t think we need up to three weeks holiday for the sake of this election. You know that we have passed through a lot of hurdles, strikes, which have disrupted academic calendar. Four days to election is actually okay, not three weeks. For the three weeks, I think there is an ulterior motive. I think the students’ union leadership should kick against this move because most students who are in for a four-year programme are running it for six years now, which is not favourable to us and our age. When you talk about employment, you see them putting 24 years and below, forgetting that there are a lot of things we pass through to get our certificate. So I think it is a very wrong one from the authorities.