BCET students boycott classes
Nnasaretha Kgamanyane | Wednesday October 17, 2018 15:41
The students ran out of patience after the school management kept giving the Student Representative Committee (SRC) empty promises. The BCET minister of accommodation and refectory, Daniel Nsiiwa, said that in 2014 their hostels were closed due to renovations. He said last year, the college management informed them that the renovations were almost complete and were only awaiting installation of fire alert alarms.
“We were told the renovations were complete, but the alarms were not working. We were promised that by September 2018 the installations would be complete. We confronted the management, but we were told that the alarms would be installed in July this year. We waited for the hostels to be completed in vain as this year, upon admission; the first year students’ letters indicated that accommodation would be provided. The letter, however, stated that accommodation would be limited,” he said.
He said realising that they failed to keep their promises, the management later shifted the blame onto the Ministry of Tertiary Education claiming that it was responsible for its renovations only for them (SRC) to find out that they were misled. He said the ministry informed them that it only assisted the college with minor works. To date the accommodation issue is not resolved as the college is said to have not been able to submit the tender document.
Furthermore, he added that since they started their course last year, the college has failed to give them personal protective equipment (PPE) more especially the overalls and shoes. He said they were told to submit sizes and would be given their protective clothing in a month. He said in August 2018, they were given four weeks, but later the story changed.
In addition, Nsiiwa said since having been enrolled in the tertiary education, the first year students were not given their monthly allowances. He said students found it hard to go to the institution everyday and meet their daily lively needs. He said their efforts to plead with the DTEF to give students allowances have ran futile.
For his part, SRC member Edward Tsheboeng said the West Campus had one block of toilets shared by both students and staff despite having many classes held there. He said three blocks were closed and they were told that they would be maintained by September, which did not happen.
Mmegi could not get a hold of the college’s management as they were said to be locked in a meeting.