Students Plan One Hour Protest

University of Fiji students will today walk out and stage a one-hour protest after talks failed to resolve all their grievances.

This action will be rolled out daily until the grievances are sorted.

The protest starts at 1pm after which the students will return to their classes.

The president of the University of Fiji Student Association, Ratu Sailosi Naimoqe Dawai, said they wanted the Government, Fiji Higher Education Commission and the Ministry of Education to intervene in the best interest of the students.

Attempts made to get an interview with the Acting Vice Chancellor of the University were unsuccessful.

Ratu Sailosi alleged a senior official told him by phone he did not see any urgency to call an emergency meeting to sort out the issues.

“I was actually surprised and shocked,” he said.

An association delegation, however, had met with the Acting Vice Chancellor, the Registrar and with the Executive Director of Finance yesterday.

Some of the issues were discussed and a few were agreed, but a lot of the issues required the Council of the University to sit and decide.

Ratu Sailosi said the issue with the high prices in the cafeteria and collection of student fees were agreed upon and resolved.

“I am happy that the students can now be allowed to sit for their exams, have access to library, computer labs when students fees are still in arrears,” he said.

But students will not receive their grades.

“They also will not be able to enrol for next semester if their fees are still in arrears.

“We need the Council to call an urgent and a special meeting to address and resolve the pending issues.

“We cannot wait for the next council meeting which would be in mid semester.

“Most of the issues are long overdue.

“It is not something that has come out of the blue, so it needs an urgent meeting with the Council.”

Edited by Susana Tuilau