BCA students boycott classes

Botswana College of Agriculture (BCA) students have boycotted classes due to what they term ‘unhygienic’ meals served at the refectory of the institution. 

The protests are the latest in a long string of disputes between the students and management. Speaking during an interview the BAC Student Representative Council (SRC) vice president Mbingenyi Paka said Monday that they have long communicated their displeasure with the school management regarding the appalling meals they are forced to consume every day. Moghul Catering Company won the tender to supply meals at the college. 

Paya said three weeks back when they engaged management on the issue they were promised that something will done but up-to-date nothing has been done. Students are complaining that meals are often half cooked or have roaches. 

“Two weeks later the situation has not improved, things have even taken a turn for the worst,” he said. Paka said unless the situation is resolved they will continue with the class boycott. 

Meanwhile Paya said they are also troubled by the unhygienic status of the students’ ablutions blocks, saying that the facilities are not properly cleaned, a situation that might jeorpadise the health of the students.

“This is a clear disregard to our welfare and with the class boycott we just want to be heard,” he said adding that they have long voiced their concerns two weeks after the semester commenced.

Efforts to reach BAC spokesperson, Onkgopotse Moreri were fruitless as she was engaged in a meeting with the management regarding the class boycott. However three weeks back when the threat to boycott began Moreri had acknowledged the students’ grievances and explained that management was not able to conclude the award of the tender by the 1st September as previously agreed on with the students after an appeal was launched against the tendering process by   the former catering staff. Moghul Catering Company was supposed to provide catering services for the school by end of September, but they are still engaged.