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Chibero College students protest over unhygienic living conditions

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SCORES of students at Chibero Agricultural College in Norton stormed the principal’s office on Wednesday protesting against alleged maladministration and exposure to unhygienic living conditions.

SCORES of students at Chibero Agricultural College in Norton stormed the principal’s office on Wednesday protesting against alleged maladministration and exposure to unhygienic living conditions.

BY TINOTENDA MUNYUKWI

The students accused the administration of turning a blind eye to their welfare, including lack of electricity and running water in some halls of residence and being fed on poorly-prepared meals.

A Students’ Representative Council executive member who requested anonymity said they feared that the unhygienic conditions were exposing them to diarrhoeal diseases such as cholera, which has wreaked havoc in the nearby Chegutu town.

“We are all living in fear because there is cholera in Chegutu and our toilets are so dirty and disgusting at a time we should up our hygienic standards because there is cholera and this is not a joke,” he said.

“We have not had electricity in most parts of the school for the past six months and they have not engaged Zesa to solve this problem at a time when some students failed last year because they could not even study. Until this is solved, nobody is going for lectures at this institution.”

College principal Phillip Mushayi declined to comment and referred all questions to Moffat Nyamangara, the director of colleges in the Ministry of Higher Education.

Nyamangara confirmed receiving reports of the students’ protest and urged the parties to find ways to solve their differences amicably.

“We are aware of all these issues and we are going to assess the situation to get full appreciation of what is happening, but I am aware the students refused to engage the principal today (yesterday), but I hope that this can be done in future because our position is that all the issues can be addressed,” he said.