Students at the newly formed Gwanda State University went on strike today (Monday) protesting against poor learning conditions and inadequate infrastructure as well as lack of accountability at the institution.
The students demanded to be returned to the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) in Bulawayo arguing that the decision to open Gwanda State University had been hastily made. They pointed to the lack of key infrastructure at the new institution as evidence that it was ill-prepared to start having students. According to the students, the university does not have any of the following:
- Library
- Functional Computer Laboratory
- Clinic as well as Medical Aid for the students to be treated elsewhere.
- Engineering equipment to allow the students to do practicals.
The students added that they do not go on field trips at all and highlighted that their lectures are erratic as the lecturers only show up just before examinations. The students demanded to be taken to NUST to allow Gwanda University to be developed into a proper institution of higher learning. The university is located at the site of the Epoch Mine which shut down years ago. The mine was turned into a University but the apparent lack of funding seems to be killing the project.
Activist and former university student leader Makomborero Haruzivishe tweeted:
In solidarity with Gwanda State University students who are demonstrating against the government’s habitual dereliction of duty towards education in Zimbabwe. The so-called ‘new dispensation’ is just but an upgraded version of the bad past on issues of social services delivery.
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