Maseru, May 13 — Following their strike about a month ago, the National University of Lesotho (NUL) were this morning planning to go on another strike, the Agency has learned.
Speaking in an interview, Students Representative Council (SRC) Minister of Students Affairs Moeketsi Rapuleng confirmed this saying that students wanted to strike but said that the police are already at every corner of the campus to control the situation.
He said that the students wanted to be given revision week prior to examinations which he said will extend examinations until early June where they would get their monthly stipend.
He said that according to the contract they signed with National Manpower Development Secretariat (NMDS) their academic year is 10 months which will end in June but with the university calendar their year only takes nine (9) months.
Meanwhile, Vice Chancellor Professor Isaac Fajana released an audio in which he said that they are aware that a group of students yet to be identified have plans to disrupt the ongoing end of semester examinations despite objections by a larger group of students.
He said that as such examinations need to continue in the interest of orderly developments of the university and the nation therefore advised the staff and students to go on with their lawful duties.
However he mentioned that a number of security measures have been taken to avoid violence between the two groups of people thus those pro the strike and those against the strike saying that the measures may inconvenience community members but they are necessary in that they correct the situation.
He indicated that those include access to the campus and library through the gates saying that it will be restricted to only students who have morning and afternoon examinations to write on the particular day until further notice.
He urged all to cooperate with security agencies to ensure a hitch free conclusion of examinations.
On April 08, NUL students embarked on strike in which they blocked the road by burning tyres and also destroyed some property outside the campus.
Meanwhile post the strike, the Roma community held a march in which they delivered a petition to the NUL Management.
The Agency has discovered that it has become a norm for NUL students to engage in strike especially when examinations are approaching. Second Semester and year end examinations are supposed to start early next month (May).
In October 2023, prior to first semester examinations, students engaged in strike where among the eight grievances by the students, they demanded that academic registration be in effect and done with immediate effect as there is evidence of students not being registered to this day together with all first year students not being registered. Also that all supplementary results be sent to NMDS with immediate effect so that students are able to contract to the secretariat in both main campus and IEMS campus.