Resumption: Ibadan Poly students express high expectations

Some students of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, on Monday, expressed high expectations, as academic activities commenced for the second semester of 2019/2020 session.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that academic activities were initially disrupted by the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic and the industrial action by the institution’s labour unions.

The students, in separate interviews with NAN in Ibadan on Monday, expressed delight at the commencement of academic activities after a long break.

Josephine King, an HND II student, said he was happy with the resumption, having stayed so long at home.

“Our expectations are very high. We expect that at the end of this year, we will be able to graduate and move on in life.

“We are very optimistic about the new semester,” she said.

Another student, Ogochukwu Nwora, said it was awesome to have resumed after the initial setback by the pandemic and the industrial action by the unions.

“We hope to finish our courses of study on time, praying that the pandemic will subside and that the industrial action by labour unions is over for good,” Nwora said.

Abiola Amosun, another student, said that the resumption was a good development, as many of them never thought it would be soon.

“We had thought the strike would linger longer than necessary but we are glad things are taking shape now,” Amosun said.

One of the members of the academic union of the institution, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the school management released the calendar for the new session on March 5.

“The unions have only suspended the strike for 21 days and that is still counting.

“But, we are hopeful that dialogue with the powers that be will be favourable and our entitlements will be paid so that we do not have to resume strike anymore,” he said.

NAN reports that the institution has resumed its usual hustle and bustle, with students registering for the second semester in their different departments.