STUDENTS at the National University of Science and
Technology (Nust) in Bulawayo yesterday “shut down” the institution demanding
an end to lecturers strike and commencement of lectures.
The students’ “university shutdown’ forced the Nust
management and lecturers to resolve their differences, paving the way for the
resumption of lectures today.
The students had spent almost a month without classes after
lecturers embarked on an industrial action protesting alleged mismanagement at
the institution of higher learning.
Yesterday, students barricaded all the university’s entry
points demanding that management and lecturers resolve their impasse.
The students mobilised support for their shutdown through
social media messages and by 7AM some of them had closed the university’s
gates, denying people access to the campus.
The students also blocked the Bulawayo-Gwanda Highway
forcing motorists to use other routes.
Chaos outside Nust attracted anti-riot police who used
water cannons to disperse the students.
Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Precious Simango
said the use of water cannons was a strategy to disperse crowds.
“I’m aware that there was a demonstration at Nust and
police had to use water cannons to disperse the students. The use of water
cannons is one of the strategies to handle a mob. I’m not aware that some
students were arrested in the process,” she said.
Zimbabwe Congress of Students Union (Zicosu) president Mr
Tafadzwa Gambiza said close to 50 students were arrested.
“What the police did was out of hand and we cannot condone
such behaviour. We always support the Government but we cannot support such
brutal acts by the police who probably got a directive to disperse the students
from someone. Government should applaud these students for fighting for their
birth right. They should deal with the root cause of such actions,” he said.
Nust Student Representative Council president Mr Pablo
Chimusoro, who was among the arrested, earlier told The Chronicle that the
university shutdown was a plea for action to Nust authorities.
“We are shutting down the university to call for the
attention of stakeholders of the institution, be it the Government,
administration or parents. We have been disadvantaged for four weeks. We tried
communicating with the administration before but no clear action has been taken
so we have come to a point of doing whatever that will call for their
attention,” said Mr Chimusoro.
The students’ demonstration forced the university’s
management and lecturers to seek common ground and lectures are expected to
resume this morning.
Nust’s director of marketing and communication Mr Felix
Moyo said the students’ demonstration was a result of their frustration after
spending weeks without lectures.
“I think it demonstrates an enthusiasm on their part to
learn. As far as they are concerned they know that they left their homes, they
came to Nust to learn and they were feeling frustrated that they were not
fulfilling their mission of coming to Nust. It was a strategy that they used so
that they do not waste time,” said Mr Moyo.
He said the university would not victimise the students for
expressing their disgruntlement.
“We have discussed the issue with Nusteda leaders and we’ve
agreed that Nusteda will terminate their strike immediately. Classes will
resume tomorrow morning at 8AM,” said Mr Moyo.
“On our part as management we are going to suspend the
circular which was the bone of contention. The circular stated that lecturers
should teach three courses but they want to teach two courses per semester. So
we will suspend that circular and they will go back to class and teach two
courses per semester.”
National University of Science and Technology Educators’
Association (Nusteda) secretary general Mr Blessing Jona confirmed that they
had suspended their strike.
He said it was disheartening that students had to take
drastic action for authorities to pay attention.
Mr Jona said lecturers were counting on the recent
appointment of Professor Mqhele Dlodlo as the university’s Vice Chancellor to
address issues bedevilling the
university.
“Overcrowding in lecture rooms still exists, we still have
a shortage of chemicals in lecture rooms. We are going back to the lecture
rooms but our concerns are yet to be resolved. It’s sad that it had to take
students to shut down the university for action to be taken. We don’t need a
court to decide on the legality of the strike when our issues that are real
still exist. A court can make a judgement but it cannot resolve real issues
that are at Nust,” he said. Chronicle
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