News / Education
Poly students in demo over Grade 7 markers
31 Oct 2013 at 03:05hrs | Views
AT least 200 students from the Bulawayo Polytechnic College yesterday evening staged a demonstration after the institution's administration ordered them to vacate their hostels to pave way for Grade Seven examination markers.
Disgruntled students said they were shocked when the Dean of Students' office issued notices informing them to look for alternative accommodation as their hostels would be used by the markers.
The demonstration started at 7pm where students, who were chanting slogans and dancing, besieged the campus dining hall which was occupied by the markers who had just arrived at the college.
The students accused the acting college principal, Mr Gilbert Mabasa, of taking them for granted and failing to communicate the development to them on time.
"The principal did not give us a notice or inform us about the arrangement. They told us on Tuesday that we should leave our hostels with immediate effect. The dean of students said we should find alternative accommodation because our hostels were going to be occupied by Zimsec markers," said one of the students.
"We can not leave because we have paid our fees in full for the full year. How could they invite Zimsec markers when they are quite aware that we are occupying the hostels? The dean of students, principal and the student representative council should leave office because they are failing to address our concerns," said another student.
The students said the development was inconveniencing their studies as they were preparing to write their examinations.
"How are we supposed to study when there is a lot of commotion on campus. The authorities must address this issue to avert disaster," said another student.
The students said they were going to continue with the demonstration until the decision was reversed.
Contacted for comment, Mr Mabasa denied the reports.
"We have not received such reports at the college. If students are in a position to demonstrate over this arrangement they are being unreasonable.
"Some of them have not even finished paying their fees so I wonder why they would defy college's decisions."
He declined to comment further saying questions should be sent to him through e-mail.
Disgruntled students said they were shocked when the Dean of Students' office issued notices informing them to look for alternative accommodation as their hostels would be used by the markers.
The demonstration started at 7pm where students, who were chanting slogans and dancing, besieged the campus dining hall which was occupied by the markers who had just arrived at the college.
The students accused the acting college principal, Mr Gilbert Mabasa, of taking them for granted and failing to communicate the development to them on time.
"The principal did not give us a notice or inform us about the arrangement. They told us on Tuesday that we should leave our hostels with immediate effect. The dean of students said we should find alternative accommodation because our hostels were going to be occupied by Zimsec markers," said one of the students.
"We can not leave because we have paid our fees in full for the full year. How could they invite Zimsec markers when they are quite aware that we are occupying the hostels? The dean of students, principal and the student representative council should leave office because they are failing to address our concerns," said another student.
The students said the development was inconveniencing their studies as they were preparing to write their examinations.
"How are we supposed to study when there is a lot of commotion on campus. The authorities must address this issue to avert disaster," said another student.
The students said they were going to continue with the demonstration until the decision was reversed.
Contacted for comment, Mr Mabasa denied the reports.
"We have not received such reports at the college. If students are in a position to demonstrate over this arrangement they are being unreasonable.
"Some of them have not even finished paying their fees so I wonder why they would defy college's decisions."
He declined to comment further saying questions should be sent to him through e-mail.
Source - chronicle
