It’s been almost one month since students of the University of Jos resumed after a 3-month break. However, it comes as no surprise that a large majority of students—both new and returning—are still struggling to keep their balance amidst hiked fees and an inflated economy.
Still on the trend is the news that the University Management Board has increased its school charges, and more worrisomely, is the reality that students are to pay new fees which are significantly higher than what they’ve been paying in the previous sessions. Despite the many pleas and protests, no significant changes were made to help deflate the spike in the new charges. Unfortunately, for this reason, students are struggling to maintain the soundness of their mental health.
Strolling through the school premises, you could hear the subtle murmuring and ostentatious account of financial fatigue amongst students of the institution. For many, it has been really difficult for them to concentrate and participate in academic activities due to several factors invading their peace of mind and academic concentration.
There is a whisper of fear in their words as they relate their academic expectations for the session. But with the current reality of things; such as the hike in transportation fares, and increment in the price of other essentials, some of the students have begun to wonder if they will ever fulfil their academic expectations. Some even fear they may never get to graduate from the University.
In a chat with a student of the sociology department, Olorunnaiyese Comfort, said, “I’ve never been alright since the hike in school fees, this situation has tempered with my mental health, I have been thinking too much to the instead that I feel headache all the time, my Dad don’t have money to pay for my fees and I have nothing doing to help myself seriously I’m not fine”.
Comfort also added by saying, “I have a friend Rachel from the Faculty of Arts who has to drop out of school because of school fees, this lady is mentally not okay right now.”
“I am honestly overwhelmed by everything. Examinations are coming up by the beginning of December and I can’t even seem to find myself or settle down to study. I am always writing an assignment or a test or having lectures from morning to evening. My mental health is not ready for this”, Felicia Yakubu from the Marketing Department complained.
Similarly, Mino Damisu from the Department of Education said, “I am either thinking of how to pay my fees that have been hiked or looking for a way to meet up with classes. Every day, I wake up with this trembling panic and every night I go to bed with the same dread. The school needs to do something very quickly to help the students to have a healthy education experience”.
Also, Lois Timothy, a 300-level student of Mass Communication complained, “Upon my resumption some few weeks ago, I expected that there would be better arrangements for students, like having medical outreaches and free mental health examination, or any form of intervention at all. Because a lot of students are going through so many different challenges. It’s been hard for many of us to concentrate and be excellent students when our lecturers are trying to shove down hard knowledge on empty stomachs and troubled minds. It’s not easy on anyone.”
A notable panacea for the ongoing mental stress many of the students are struggling with is the suggestion raised by an alumnus of the university from the psychology department, which is the need to employ mental specialists whose mission would be to assist the students in creating a form of coping mechanisms.
“The school needs to make provision for psychologists to take care of students that are suffering from mental health sickness and also make necessary to help students financially”, said Mike Ade.
By Grace David Ogomo
I totally agree that the mental health of students should not be taken for granted.
Worthy of note.