Students at the Maridi Nursing School went on a three day hunger strike over bad food cooked to them in the school saying that they spent three days depending on only water. The students held talks with the school administration and authorities to demand solutions to the problem.
Kenyi Joseph, a student leader, said that since Friday evening the students did not eat after food was cooked for them containing bacteria, insects and weevils.
“The major problem was the issue of food. The food that was prepared for the students as supper was not very good food. The source was containing some weevils, in fact bacterias and other insects that were in the food and the students all decided not to take that food. It was since Friday evening the students did not eat, the whole Saturday and Sunday and even yesterday,” said the student.
Kenyi noted, “As I talk up to now we have not yet eaten anything and we just rely on water.”
He said they spoke with school authorities so far but did not reach any agreement. They also held discussions with the county commissioner after which he said, “At least now I feel happy because there was a kind of transparency both from AH staff and even the school management – the tutors form the principal down, at least we are very happy now.”
He says the strike was peaceful and all the students. He pointed out the students carried out no violence or vandalism.
George Abus, principle of the school, says the students indeed stayed for three days without eating but after a meeting with the county commissioner, the school agreed to provide some of their needs like good food for them. He said the problem has been solved and the students are going back to the school to continue with their lessons.
“I will look in the budget and the things that I can do I will do for additional support for food… so now they are coming back to school because they are happy with what the commissioner told them. From tomorrow the school will resume as normal,” he said.
George thanked the county authority for intervening to solve the issue before it got out of hand and he thanked the students for their understanding.
A student strike also happened in 2011 when students went up to the compound of Action Africa Help (AAH) and destroyed things. Maridi Nursing school is supported by AAH.
File photo: Maridi Nurse Training School graduation (Youtube/AAH)