ASUU Strike: Students desperate to switch to private universities – Report

The lecturers in public universities have been on strike since February 14 this year is no news, but the frustration the development has brought on students and parents/guardians may not be fully reported or quantified.

Victor Akere, a student in the Faculty of Education, the University of Lagos, expressing his disgust at the prolong strike by members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, said he had given up hope of returning to school any time soon.

“I have put my mind off school for now. The way the Federal Government and ASUU are going about the issue, a quick end to the face-off does not seem to be in sight. What can we do now? The only option is to find means of spending this period and time doing something worthwhile,” he said.

His disposition to the strike palaver seems better than that of Juliet, a 300 level student of Computer Science who is putting pressure on her parents to change her school to a popular private university in Ogun State.

Her desperation is understandable, she has spent over five years on campus for a four-year course. However, her wish can only be achieved if she would agree to start from 200 level at the university of her choice.

This is because the regulations by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, and the National Universities Commission, NUC, stipulate that to get a first degree from any Nigerian university, a student must spend at least three academic years in the said university. Therefore, any student above 200 level cannot transfer from one university to another in Nigeria.

We‘re witnessing a boom – Private varsities

A number of private universities sampled by the Vanguard reported increased requests for transfer of students from public universities.

“It is true we have been receiving requests in huge number, from students in federal and state universities to switch to our university. The requests for transfer cut across many courses. I can tell you for sure that I receive not less than five of such on a daily basis. The phone numbers put on our school’s website are daily jammed with such requests.

“Some of the requests come from students in 300 level and even 400 level. But those ones are not possible. Any student that is past 200 level cannot transfer to another university according to regulations,” Dr Joshua Suleiman of Babcock University, Ilisan Remo, Ogun State said.

Asked if there was also noticeable increase in the number of applicants who chose Babcock in this year’s Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME,  he replied in the affirmative, but said only the Admissions Office could provide the accurate figure.

Speaking in the same vein, the spokesman of Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State, Mr Emmanuel Attat, described the surge in transfer and admission applications to his school as a boom.

“I don’t have the figures off hand, but I can tell you it is a boom. There has been significant surge in the number of applicants who want to come over to us. This is because they know that at Covenant University, we ensure standard, quality education and there is no waste of time. We are sticklers for time, ” he noted.

The view of Mr Tunji Olofintila of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, ABUAD, is not different.

READ ALSO: Jigawa State Governor’s Son Graduates from UK Varsity amid ASUU Strike

CREDIT: ALLSCHOOL, Vanguard