University students stage protest

MASERU – STUDENTS at the National University of Lesotho (NUL) took to the streets yesterday to protest the delay by the university to release their last semester results.

The students alleged that the delay had resulted in them failing to access their stipends from the National Manpower Development Secretariat (NMDS).

They claimed that the NMDS relies on the lists of registered students from the university who would have passed to process further payments.

The students said they will continue to protest until their grievances are addressed.

Yesterday the students disrupted classes as they marched at the campus in Roma, singing and chanting on the pavements.

They were holding long sticks and singing Mona ha rea tlela masaoana (We have not come here for nonsense) while chanting around the school’s premises.

The NUL SRC president, Tumo Tsanyane, told thepost yesterday that some students who had sat for supplementary exams had not received their results.

He said without the results, the “students are not able to renew their scholarship with (the NMDS)”.

“The students are not able to know their academic stance whether they will be proceeding to the prospective year or are set to repeat the entire courses,” read a letter of grievances addressed to the vice-chancellor.

They also said post-graduate students in the Faculty of Education had also not received their results.

They also complained that some Masters in Clinical Social Work students submitted their academic work in May and are still awaiting dissertation feedback from external examiners.

They complained that the students at the IEMS campus have no Wi-fi at their campus to access internet services even in the computer rooms.

“Results at IEMS have not been issued to this day.”

They said classes at the main campus should be halted until all students are registered.

“Students are suffering an irrecoverable prejudice with lectures continuing while others are stranded,” the letter reads.

“Lecturers have started getting on with their coursework for those who are doing practical courses.”

“Students’ Cards (must) be issued and the university must announce reasonable dates for such to happen.”

They added that the supplementary results should be issued within five working days so that students know their fate.

“We wish to further indicate that failure to respond to such thorny grievances, the students in accordance with the Student Union constitution shall embark on a peaceful and constitutional protest to compel the university to adhere to the grievances mentioned above.”

The NUL Pro-Vice Chancellor, Professor Kananelo Mosito, told thepost that the school system is being fixed and is expected to be operational as soon as possible.

“They gave the vice-chancellor their letter and it will be worked out,” Professor Mosito said.

Nkheli Liphoto