Students’ complaints to get high-level attention

SERIOUS allegations by a group of Namibian students in Zimbabwe against the college where they are enrolled are to be discussed next week at a meeting between the Namibian and Zimbabwean ministries of education.

The Zimbabwean Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, his Permanent Secretary (PS) and Ambassador are scheduled to meet with the Namibian Minister of Education, his PS and other officials next Wednesday, Education Ministry spokesperson Toivo Mvula told The Namibian yesterday. Some of the allegations were that the Belvedere Technical Teachers’ College planned to fail a number of final-year students deliberately in order to keep them there next year.”The college academic board had a meeting last term and a lecturer …who was privy to the discussions revealed to us that (the Academic Board) unanimously agreed that only 25 per cent of the Namibian students who are in their final year will pass, because the Namibian Government is not sending students to this institution next year.Therefore the college has to keep 75 per cent of the students in order to generate more foreign currency,” the students said in a letter addressed to the media.”Since the programme started in 2003 no Zimbabwean student of either math or science has failed …[it is] only Namibians who are supplementing and repeating,” they said in defence of their claims.They also allege that classes were expected to be suspended, from yesterday onwards, between 08h00 and 10h00 so that students could work in the college’s garden.”Since the college opened this term, we have been eating only half-cooked beans and cabbage.On May 30 2007, the college principal Mr Masendeke announced that the college is running short of food, therefore all students have to work in the garden as from June 7 2007.Lessons will be suspended …,” they charged.The students further complained about power cuts and water shortages that last up to four days.A college official, who requested anonymity, yesterday dismissed the allegations as an attempt to stir up emotions.”It seems to me like a blackmailing plan, maybe trying to prevent us from failing any of them come the exams,” the official said.The minutes of the Academic Board meetings are recorded, he said, and “are there for anyone to see”.He also denied that classes were to be suspended for students to work in the garden.”That’s totally untrue.During assembly that day, it was said that, since we have an agricultural sector, we can substitute buying food with growing our own.But as for suspending classes for that reason, that will never happen.They are simply trying to whip up emotions back home,” the source countered.The students have apparently threatened to boycott classes unless the Namibian Ministry of Education intervenes by next Friday.Some of the allegations were that the Belvedere Technical Teachers’ College planned to fail a number of final-year students deliberately in order to keep them there next year.”The college academic board had a meeting last term and a lecturer …who was privy to the discussions revealed to us that (the Academic Board) unanimously agreed that only 25 per cent of the Namibian students who are in their final year will pass, because the Namibian Government is not sending students to this institution next year.Therefore the college has to keep 75 per cent of the students in order to generate more foreign currency,” the students said in a letter addressed to the media.”Since the programme started in 2003 no Zimbabwean student of either math or science has failed …[it is] only Namibians who are supplementing and repeating,” they said in defence of their claims.They also allege that classes were expected to be suspended, from yesterday onwards, between 08h00 and 10h00 so that students could work in the college’s garden.”Since the college opened this term, we have been eating only half-cooked beans and cabbage.On May 30 2007, the college principal Mr Masendeke announced that the college is running short of food, therefore all students have to work in the garden as from June 7 2007.Lessons will be suspended …,” they charged.The students further complained about power cuts and water shortages that last up to four days.A college official, who requested anonymity, yesterday dismissed the allegations as an attempt to stir up emotions.”It seems to me like a blackmailing plan, maybe trying to prevent us from failing any of them come the exams,” the official said.The minutes of the Academic Board meetings are recorded, he said, and “are there for anyone to see”.He also denied that classes were to be suspended for students to work in the garden.”That’s totally untrue.During assembly that day, it was said that, since we have an agricultural sector, we can substitute buying food with growing our own.But as for suspending classes for that reason, that will never happen.They are simply trying to whip up emotions back home,” the source countered.The students have apparently threatened to boycott classes unless the Namibian Ministry of Education intervenes by next Friday.