STUDENTS at Chibero College on Wednesday absconded lectures
in protest against poor conditions at the institution.
According to one of the students who preferred anonymity,
they have endured five months without electricity, proper sanitation, water and
food.
“The main issue at hand is there are funds we were made to
pay during our first trimester claiming they were project fees and now we are
being forced to implement those projects with our pocket monies.
“We called for a meeting with the principal and he said
that your funds are at University of Zimbabwe and its becoming a big challenge
to retrieve them.
“It has been five months now staying on the college without
electricity, its imposing negative implications on our results considering we
will be needing to read during the night.
The source mentioned that they are no longer comfortable to
be staying at the college in fear of the epidemics which are on the rise.
“On food, we are made to eat pest infested vegetables and
cabbages every day. If there happens to be a change in the relish it will be
rotten meat as a result of malfunction of refrigerators due to unavailability
of electricity.
“The environment we are staying in resembles a forest on
its own, huswa hauchekwe and I cannot even remember when we last saw our
hostels, toilets, classrooms and dining halls being cleaned.
“We are now living in fear following the recent reports of
cholera outbreak. We are highly vulnerable.”
Another student highlighted that they don’t have any
problem with their lecturers but however fingered the principal to be the
master cause of their grievances.
“Our lecturers are just fine but the principal is running
the college like his personal tuck-shop.
“We pay US$465 but the amount and the services offered are
failing to match,” said the student.
Contacted for a comment, the director of Agricultural
Colleges and Farmer Training Moffat Enerst Nyamangara said he will embark on a
fact finding journey to Chibero College tomorrow before he can say anything
much considering the complaints.
“Yes it is an issue which came to our attention yesterday
but I myself cannot confirm if this is true or not since I have not gone there
to see what’s on the ground.
“But I’m suspecting there is an element of exaggeration by
students. They should have sat down with the College’s authorities and talked
this over before contacting you the media.
“I contacted the Secretary for the Ministry of Lands,
Agriculture and Rural Resettlement who then advised us to go to Chibero and see
for ourselves.
“So I will be going there tomorrow accompanied by my deputy
and the Chief of Agricultural Education.
Please contact me tomorrow for feedback and confirmation of
the claims,” said Nyamangara
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