Fri, 09 Jun 2017 14:18:27 +0000
By VIOLET TEMBO
POLICE in Ndola are holding over 40 students from Northern Technical College (NORTEC) after they rioted, protesting the hiked fees, Copperbelt Province Police Commissioner Charity Katanga has confirmed.
Ms Katanga said the students, who blocked Kwacha Road. were also protesting the shortage of accommodation and the slow registration exercise.
She told the Daily Nation that those arrested included four females and 36 males and have been detained at Kansenshi police station.
Ms. Katanga said the students were rounded up to maintain order and peace in the residential area in which the institution was located.
“We have the students in custody at Kansenshi police station. They were rioting and blocked Kwacha road which was an obstruction to motorists. We have since maintained order. It is too early to say whether we will charge earlier or release them,” she said.
Police in riot gear threw teargas cannisters at the rioting students with the aim of smoking them out as well as to clear Kwacha road which they had blocked.
Students had barricaded the busy road which leads to Chifubu and other major residential areas with logs and tree branches and burnt tyres.
Students spoken to on the spot said that hiking tuition fees by 100 percent would negatively affect a number of them who could only manage to pay in instalments.
They said that the shortage of accommodation was also a challenge at the institution.
They claimed that rooms that were meant to accommodate three persons were being occupied by nine or more students.
And Nortec union president Kunda Kayombo said most of the lecturers at the institution were on study leave, and the development left most of the classes unattended to.
He also complained over inadequate bed space at the institution.
He said that over 3,000 students had unanimously resolved to boycott classes until the issue of accommodation and lack of lecturers was resolved.
A check by Daily Nation found heavy presence of police in riot gear patrolling the premises.
College management could not be immediately reached for a comment.
