Students present petition to suspend uni council

The National National

STUDENTS attending the University of Natural Resources and Environment (UNRE) have petitioned the Government to suspend the university council and management team. They handed over a petition to the Minister for Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology Wesley Raminai on Friday. The students accused the university administration of failing to respond to matters they had raised.  They demanded that:

  • DEPARTMENTS be headed by professors and PhD holders;
  • ALL course modules be reduced to four years;
  • THIRD-year students to undergo a six-month industrial training;
  • DRIVING licences be issued;
  • THE UNRE farm be rehabilitated and funded; and,
  • THERE must be an improvement to security.

Student Representative Council president James Waikila said: “We submitted three letters to the university administration but all fell on deaf ears.  “We have lost confidence in the management and university council.” He said lecturers had boycotted classes on April 26 and 27. Raminai urged the students to stay committed to their studies. He said the UNRE had by-laws and regulations and any decision taken by the Government must be made within the ambit of the law and after consultation.