Times Of Swaziland: Limkokwing closed again Limkokwing closed again ================================================================================ MBONGISENI NDZIMANDZE on 22/05/2012 00:00:00 MBABANE – Limkokwing University of Creative Technology has been closed indefinitely after students boycotted classes yesterday. This is the second boycott in just two weeks and was over the unavailability of technological gadgets to aid their learning process which they claim they were promised by the institution. The Administrator of the university Zachariah Mthethwa announced the closure yesterday. "Limkokwing University of Creative Technology would like to inform all its stakeholders and the entire nation that classes have been put on hold and all students are not allowed on campus as management is still deliberating on finding a suitable solution to the recent startling students’ class boycotts," he said. In the press statement issued yesterday afternoon the management of the university stated that they recently advised students to communicate with their respective faculties so that their book allowance concerns may be resolved amicably and this alternative had since not worked to expectation as students did not comply with management’s advice and continued to engage in the unlawful strike. Mthetwa said Limkokwing University management had engaged government to help in finding a solution to the concerns presented by the students. He said management had, therefore, resolved to send the students home until further notice. The university thanked the police for their prompt response during the boycott. "We sincerely apologise to members of the public who were inconvenienced by the actions of the students. Limkokwing University is striving towards making sure that our students achieve the best desires for their future, it, therefore, encourages all students, parents and the nation to remain calm as management is working round the clock to arrest this matter," he said. ... police use teargas to disperse students MBABANE –Students of Limkokwing University of Creative Technology Swazi-land had to run for cover as police fired teargas to disperse them yesterday. The institution’s management had to call the police after students boycotted classes yesterday. The students were demanding the university management to address the unavailability of technological gadgets which they say are key in their learning process. Some of the gadgets that the students are demanding include computers, laptops and cameras. The contingent of armed police officers are also said to have used rubber bullets to disperse the students who were refusing to leave the university premises after they were ordered to do so by management. Some of the students were found hiding next to Qobonga shopping complex and they only dispersed after the arrival of the police. Others were found hiding in some of the nearby homesteads. There was almost confrontation between the police and the students next to the complex after the officers, who were armed with batons and guns, had ordered them to disperse as they were disturbing nearby residents. Deputy President of the Students Representative Council, Mduduzi Dlamini, said they still did not understand why the management decided to call the police because they were not violent. He said during their last meeting with the management, it was agreed that they would have another meeting when they returned from the one week break, but they were shocked when they (management) decided to call the police instead of addressing the issue. "We were surprised when the tertiary manager reacted in the manner he did instead of addressing the issue. He ordered us to leave the premises if we did not want to go back to class," he said. Dlamini alleged the management of the institution promised them that the issue of the technological gadgets would be solved in February. He said the E3 000 book fee that was currently given to them by government should be made flexible as it only catered for books instead of the other materials that were essential to them. ------------------------- Comments There are too many strikes on our tertiary institutions, every year. This, in the medium term will discredit the qualifications issued at these institutions. Too much time is wasted outside the classroom, and at the end one wonders if the students cover the minimum lecture hours for these qualifications. This is the very reason why top government officials and top executives of this country never send their children to local institutions, they prefer foreign, stable institutions from our joke universities and colleges. Suffer the poor Swazis.... May 22, 2012, 8:13 AM, Concerned Parent The Limkokwing students are just plain cry babies, why dont they just buy themselves the gadgets. I am a former UNISWA Law student and was denied scholarship to transfer and finish my course bese nje bantfu when given that opportunity to learn and allowances bakhalela ema laptop why dont they just buy them like any other tetiary student would. yati ngabe na Government akakwati lakwentako hhayi nje nasihlupheka kanjena laka Ngwane...I would be completing my degree right now but because of the introduction of this new college i cant i only needed tution fees bona bakhalela i luxury, i understand they need them for their learning but they should just grow up and buy them...hhayi lokudlala ngatsi sihluphekile... May 22, 2012, 8:13 AM, majaji