Reactions As AAUA Merges Two Academic Sessions

By: Fatimah Idera

Several reactions have trailed the merging of two academic sessions of Adekunle Ajasin University Akungba Akoko Ondo state (AAUA) due to the prolonged Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike.

Recall that the management of the institution had announced Wednesday 15th of March, 2023 as the resumption date for the new and returning students of the institution.

The University senate had revealed that it will be merging the academic activities for the 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 academic sessions due to the 8-month prolonged strike that began in February and ended in October, 2022.

Freshers and returning students react to the institution's development

Olatunji Gift Olamide, an aspiring microbiology student of the 2021/2022 said merging of the two sessions wasn't a good idea in terms of sharing the resources meant for one set with two.

He added that classes would be uncomfortable due to overcrowding and there would be a shortage of hostels as it won't be enough to cater for students of both sessions. 

For Olabode Precious Abigael, an aspiring History and International Relations student of the 2022/2023 academic session, said it seemed unusual to merge two sessions which might be too challenging.

"I feel considerate about it as we have all been stranded for a long time. It's fine to merge us provided that the school authority has made available enough resources to aid effective learning for the two sessions," he added. 

Ayorinde Olugade, a 200 Level Banking and Finance student said the idea of merging sessions would make classrooms congested and overcrowded as there won't be space for learning.

"I feel it might bother the students as lecture theatres and laboratories where there aren't enough facilities will be stuffy due to reduced ventilation which might result in low comprehension."

Speaking of the CBT examination, she/he said the collection of tally and the examinations system should be expanded to cope with the population of the entire students. 

Shittu Abbas, a 300-level political science student, maintained that merging two sessions would be inconvenient for the freshers as a result of class overpopulation.

He added that the available hostels might not suffice for the student populace and the science facilities as well as lab equipment would not be sufficient for the new science freshers because the heavy population will exceed the equipment.

Similarly, Igbekele Olabisi Temidayo a 400 Public Administration student opined that merging two academic sessions was a good idea, especially for the new students due to the academic calendar of higher institutions that have been disrupted as a result of the industrial strike by ASUU. 

"Some of the effects are that prices of things will change within the school environment, aside from that the new intakes will also be affected in one way or another like students standing in classes to attend lectures because of overpopulation.

"There will also be a hike in the price of renting an apartment because the population of the general students will be much more than the available houses. However, it will become the survival of the fittest for the freshers to cope.

Lecturer react

In an interview with a Mass communication lecturer, Mr. Lamidi Ishola said the recent development was the outcome of the last ASUU strike which lasted for 8 months.

Lamidi added that the ASUU strike and government are the undiplomatic ones to Nigeria's tertiary education, saying the government keeps showing an indolent attitude to educational growth in the country which makes the institution merge.

He said: it will be a burden on the part of the academic staff as there would be more students to teach using the same facilities which is an abnormality.

"It will be a tough one for both the teaching and non-teaching staff, as we have lost a whole year to the strike, and if the government can be proactive as we hope the new government might do that by preventing the annual strike."