STUDENTS who will fail to sign the re-admission form will not be regarded as part and parcel of the university.
This was declared by the University of Eswatini (UNESWA) Registrar Dr Salebona Simelane during a press conference held at the UNESWA Kwaluseni premises yesterday.
This strong warning follows a decision by the university Senate to re-open the institution as of today.
By signing the re-admission forms, students commit by undertaking that they will not embark on class boycotts/toy-toying, acts of vandalism, theft of property and intimidation of staff and students in the future.
The form further mentions that no student body meetings should be held at night anymore.
When Dr Simelane was asked what would happen to the students if they do not comply with the Senate restriction, he mentioned that they would automatically be expelled from the institution. He said students were only given till tomorrow to sign the forms.
“To those who won’t sign the re-admission forms, it will be a direct indicator that they are planning to continue with the protest and vandalising of the university property,” he said.
Dr Simelane said that Senate was looking to put together a disciplinary committee that would look into students that act unlawfully within the university.
When Dr Simelane was asked of what would happen if the students would all stand a united front and start another protest based on the re-admission forms, he mentioned that the Senate was hoping the students would co-operate with them in order for them to have smooth operations.
He further highlighted that they were in the process of fixing the properties that were vandalised, but added that some of the things that were destroyed were extremely expensive and the university does not have enough resources to fix them all at once.
“Other things that were broken will be fixed as we go along,” he added.
Dr Simelane stated that the university was not yet done with students that were involved in the acts of hooliganism which resulted in the property being damaged. He stated that the students are all known by name.
He continued to mention that they will undergo a disciplinary process and they will all pay for their actions according to the measure of their contribution to the acts of violence.
When asked if the form meant that students would not boycott now or in the future, he mentioned that the form was merely for the current situation, but were looking to using it even in the future.
He was again asked on the issue of allowances, which seemed to have caused the previous protest, as to what they will do if they reject the new offer, Dr. Simelane stated that the issue of allowances was between the students and the ministry of labour social security.
He said Senate was grateful to the way the government handled the matter, and advised that students should have a proper manner of addressing government in the future. Full story dourced from Eswatini Observer.
