After nearly nine months of closure by Nigerian universities due to strike by Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), some schools have announced a return date.
Bayero University Kano (BUK), the University of Benin and University of Ilorin will all return to work this January.
Students are likely to be taught online as directed by the NUC to combat the spread of COVID-19.
From the end of March to December 2020, Nigeria’s public universities were closed due to a strike by lecturers under ASUU umbrella.
After months of negotiations, the academic union finally called off the strike on Wednesday, December 23.
However, schools did not return immediately due to the country’s holiday season.
Similarly, the federal government has ordered all universities in the country to suspend classes due to the spread of COVID-19.
The announcement was made by the National Universities Commission (NUC) in a letter signed by its Deputy Principal, Chris Maiyaki.
However, some universities have now announced their return dates. Below is a list of public universities that are planning to return to classes in January.
1. University of Ilorin
The University of Ilorin has announced that the school will return to full operation on January 11, 2021.
The university explained that the online course would be conducted in accordance with NUC directives.
2. Bayero University in Kano (BUK)
The Board of Trustees of Bayero University, Kano, has approved the cancellation of the 2019/2020 academic year which started throughout the campus.
According to the commission, the undergraduate students will start their semester on January 18 while the second semester will start on May 3, 2021.
For graduate and postgraduate students, the Board of Trustees has declared January 18 as the first day of the first year of study while the second year will begin on June 1.
3. University of Benin (UNIBEN)
The school board has also directed all students (old and new) of the University of Benin (UNIBEN), Edo State, to return to the academic year 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 by January 30, 2021.
Premium Times reported that this was contained in a statement issued by the school’s public relations officer, Benedicta Ehanire at the end of the university’s board of directors meeting on Monday, January 4.
