NIIT students trapped on campus

EPHRAIM KEORENG
Staff Writer | Friday August 15, 2008 00:00

A female NIIT Information Technology student, said that some students had tried but failed to follow in the footsteps of their colleagues who left about a week ago to study at Limkokwing University of Technology.

'Everything was going well. We were processing our transfers at the department of student placement and welfare at the Education Ministry when we were suddenly told by the officers that we cannot do so, as the NIIT management has threatened to sue us and the ministry should we go on and transfer,' she said.

In a letter addressed to the student welfare department she cited low quality academic material such as below par practical laboratories, textbooks, poor management systems and the use of unqualified lecturers to teach at the school as some of the reasons why they wanted to move from the school.

In response, NIIT general manager, Ravi Srinivasan, pointed out sports facilities which included tennis and basketball courts and computer laboratories in his school behind Game City complex saying that 'those students are not telling you the truth,' he said.

In his words Srinivasan said that the students were peddling lies to cover up for 'the real reasons why they are leaving. They failed the course and realised that they did not want to retake, hence they decided to go elsewhere. They actually realised that the school which they want to go to allows them to be enrolled on a progressive level, hence they found it attractive to go there instead of repeating the module here. We can't stop them as it is their right to choose where to go to,' he said.

He said that his school adheres to high quality international standards and will never compromise it for anything. They would never allow students to hold them at ransom. Admitting that their course modules are tough and rigorous he said anyone who fails the modules will have to retake them, he said.

He also added that two thirds of his teaching staff have masters degrees and between five and 15 years teaching experience, whilst the rest have bachelor's degrees with about two years teaching and or industrial experience.

Ministry of Education spokesperson, Nomsa Zuze says that they are aware of the NIIT students' concerns, which were brought before the ministry some months ago. The minister met them and asked that they go and create a taskforce to put their concerns together and report back to the ministry.

'What is happening right now is that we are waiting for the final report from their task force. We understand why students are anxious and want to have their concerns attended to right away,' she said.

Regarding the transfer of students from NIIT, she said that it can only happen if the courses they are doing are offered and can be taken as a continuation to the previous level.

'NIIT offers a two year diploma course and if the next year a student wants to go and do it elsewhere, it is okay. We only refuse where a student wants to move and start a course from the beginning,' she said.

NIIT was this week thrown into further scandal when it was revealed that it contributed towards the political campaign of the Minister of Education. Local private institutions such have recently received thousands of government-sponsored students in their books.