ABIA STUDENTS FAST BECOMING INDIFFERENT OVER ASUU STRIKE

REPORTER: JOHN MADUAGWU

As the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) extend their on-going strike by one month, some university students in Abia State say they are now indifferent about the industrial action.

They made their feelings known while speaking with Radio Nigeria in Umuahia.

One of them, and student of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Miss Dorothy Akuma, said she no longer cared whether the strike was being extended or not.

Miss Akuma said she was more preoccupied with baking for her clients and taking some online courses to sharpen her business skills rather than paying attention to the impasse between her lecturers and the government.

A student of Abia State University, Uturu, Miss Ezinne Okoroafor, said she was also acquiring beauty and make-up skills, which she had always been interested in rather than waiting endlessly for the strike to end.

Miss Okoroafor reminded both parties that the future of young Nigerians were on the line and advised them not to mortgage the further of youths.

A student, who recently gained admission into a federal university who simply gave her name as Chisom, said it was frustrating that at a time when first year studies ought to be have been concluded, she was yet to even do her registration because of the lingering strike, just as the year was fast running out.

She said she was however undergoing online lessons on some ICT skills and reading materials on her course of study so that she not to be overwhelmed by studies when school eventually reopened.

Recall that the National Executive Council of ASUU had announced a four-week extension of the ongoing strike, which commenced since February 14, to give government more time to satisfactorily resolve all the outstanding issues.

EDITED BY CHUKWUBUIKE MADU