A lot has changed since coronavirus broke out in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. And the world has had to adjust its way of life in an attempt at preservation. Recently, the NUC ordered the closure of all universities across the country. With students now at home, we thought to ask a few of them how they feel about this.
Joshua, University of Nigeria, Nsukka
It’s a smart decision for sure. If students remain in school, the management will have to create a rigid system of movement control, which can’t be 100% effective. And if the virus should enter the school, it will spread like wildfire because of the ways students interact. Besides, people can take care of themselves better at home. I expect the school to be closed for as long as the coronavirus outbreak is a threat. Online classes will be good right now, but I doubt if it will work because a lot of lecturers have no idea how it works. I would be pleasantly surprised it happens, though. Anyway, I’ve brought my books home with the intention of studying, we will see how that goes. The most important thing to do now is to stay safe and be productive.
Tomisin, Babcock University
I’m sad that they have to close the school. When the first case of coronavirus in Nigeria was confirmed, the school management banned anyone from entering or leaving the school premises and they tried to push up the exams. Unfortunately, the whole thing escalated and they had no choice but to ask everyone to go home. I’m not happy about it but I understand. The school is working on setting up online classes. They’ve sent us an email, informing us to sign up on the platforms. That’s a good alternative, but it can’t replace physical classes due to a lot of factors. I fear that that the schools could remain closed for up to six months, and that will mess a lot of things up. It may affect my graduation date, which will be weird because it has never happened in the history of the school.
Martha, University of Uyo
I’m down with the decision to close the schools. For once, the government and universities are being proactive. I was in the school area yesterday and I see all the work being done to restrict movement. The closure is changing a lot, though. We were supposed to start writing exams this week, but unfortunately, that won’t happen anymore. I’m hoping that schools will be reopened in a month — I still want to graduate soon as I can. In the meantime, I’ve brought my school books home, so there will be a lot of studying. I’m also hoping to learn something new. And most importantly, I will try not to panic. That said, I hope people are washing their hands, staying at home, and practising all the safety precautions.
Kizmat, Lagos State University
It’s definitely a good decision. I can’t think of a better way to control the spread. I think this buys us some time until we figure out what’s going on. I know the only place I’d like to be at the moment is home. And I don’t think I’m leaving until a solution is found. When the government figures out a way to limit the spread of the virus, we can talk about opening schools again. Until then, I’d spend more time on the internet than I usually do, watch movies, sleep and probably read too. Who knows?
Also, I believe everyone has a role to play in controlling this virus and support the government’s efforts. The best we can do is to stay at home. And also we should try to educate people who are ignorant about the severity of the situation. We all should stay safe.
Femi, University of Lagos
It was a good call. With the way coronavirus spreads, a single case in a school environment will be catastrophic. I don’t expect them to recall us until there is a cure, or at least, an effective way to control it. It’s that straightforward. The only fear I have is that this break will affect the results of students when schools eventually reopen because the calendars will be accelerated and students will have a hard time easing into academics. If there were online classes facilities, which would ensure that learning goes on in some capacity, this might not be a thing. For me, I’ve registered for three online courses already, so I believe these will keep me busy for the next two months and I will have new skills to show for it.
