CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
The formation of the Academic staff Union of Universities (INDUSTRIAL) in 1978 has brought about some changes in the academic systems of universities in Nigeria-both positive and negative. While a faction might see the activities of the union as a blessing, some see it as a curse to Nigerians and a channel to frustrate Nigerian students.
Through numerous Industrial actions such as strike actions undertaken by the union to compel the government to meet the needs of public universities, lecturers and students, schools have been forced to shut down, academic calendars affected, and students have been frustrated as well as their parents. The union was active in struggles against the military regime during the 1980s. In 1988 the union organized a National Strike to obtain fair wages and university autonomy. As a result, the INDUSTRIAL was proscribed on 7 August 1988 and all its property seized. It was allowed to resume in 1990, but after another strike was again banned on 23 August 1992. However, an agreement was reached on 3 September 1992 that met several of the union’s demands including the right of workers to collective bargaining. The INDUSTRIAL organized further strikes in 1994 and 1996, protesting against the dismissal of staff by the Sani Abacha military regime.
Disruptions in academic programs serve as non-motivational factor to the students. It discourages them from learning. It is not surprising therefore that during strike actions, most students are seen involved in diverse activities such as sexual immorality, cyber scam, pool betting, unnecessary gossips, watching of films and reading comic materials for entertainment purposes rather than reading their books. In the long run, they soon forget about academics and are no longer prepared for class activities which negatively affect their learning capability.
Odubela (2012) concluded that an effective learning or an enhanced academic performance is achieved by successful covering of the course outline timely and before the examination. This is rarely achieved with strike action in place. From the above review therefore, the researcher is of the view that disruption in academic program as caused by strike action breeds disappointment, frustration, emotional and psychological trauma, unpreparedness on the part of the students and lack of motivation, which sum up to non conducive environment for effective learning in Nigerian universities; a situation that dampens human development.
However, little attention is given to the effects of INDUSTRIAL constant strikes on the academic performance of students in Nigerian universities. This study therefore intends to examine the series of INDUSTRIAL strikes and the direct effects it has on the students’ grade point average (GPA).