By Tafadzwa Chigandiwa
The Harare Polytechnic College administration has with immediate effect dissolved the Students Representative Council (SRC) and the Students Executive Council.
In a communique the student’s affairs Head of Department (HOD), Cosmas Shiridzinomwa said the student’s representative council’s tenure expired in May 2021 when the academic term ended.
“May all students be informed that the Student Representative Council (SRC) and Students Executive Council’s terms of the office for the academic year that ended in May 2021 expired when the academic year ended, meaning that we currently no elected SRC,” reads the letter.
The letter cited that the appointment of the SRC will follow after the college officially holds elections.
“The SRC will be constituted will be elected when the elections will be held in due course, when the Covid-19 situation is under control,”indicated the statement.
As a result of this, Harare Poly has ordered all its students to direct their concerns through other representatives including lecturers in charge, HOD students affairs, warden department HOD’s together with class reps and hostel reps.
However, in an interview with Bustop TV, Harare Polytechnic students speaking on condition of anonymity said the move was unfair and unconstitutional.
“The nullification of the SRC is unprocedural and unheard of. The Dean should have announced a date for SRC elections before he nullified the current one,” one of the students said.
Another student added, “The nullification is totally unfair and its against the constitution, also their term of office was short-lived due to conditions beyond anyone’s control.
“The institution can not and should not run without an SRC body. It is the voice and the mouthpiece of all students. It is an anomaly which should be rectified.
“ZICOSU is not SRC, they can’t speak on behalf of all students when they only represent a minority few. Being afforded a chance or favour to table or dine with the administration is a clear indication of what’s wrong with the system.”
Meanwhile, efforts to get a comment from the college’s outgoing SRC president, Bruce Moyo were fruitless.
