Universities should be safe places to study

Sending a child to a tertiary institution is a source of pride and joy for any family.

It is not only about enhancing the child’s chances in life but also about taking that family out of dire straits as the child may get employed and assist the family (which often may not be well to do) and his/her siblings.

This is how we have operated in our societies and this how we may operate for some time to come.

The late revered icon and the father of our democracy, former president Nelson Mandela, once said: “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”

When a child fails in his/her studies or abandons studies for one or another reason the impact reverberates through the family network.

It implies that the hopes of the family are dashed. If a child, say dies when he/she is in the final years of his/her studies, it is a phenomenal tragedy of huge proportions.

It is in the light of the above that one needs to view the recent student deaths at Walter Sisulu University.

It was recently reported that a final-year electrical engineering student Aphelele Ntobongwana had been killed with a bread knife.

That his murder occurred, as the newspaper reported, at an alcohol-fuelled party in his room makes it all the more distressing.

Early this year a medical student, Lwando Mantshontsho, died after a fight between junior and senior medical students at the same university.

According to reports the unfortunate student was in his room when other students, who apparently were involved in an altercation with others, barged in and killed him.

The unfortunate student, who was not involved in the earlier altercation, became “collateral damage”.

This incident happened in the same university, Walter Sisulu. About a week ago a student at the university was gang-raped during intervarsity games.

These incidents beg a number of questions about alcohol abuse and the safety of students on campuses. It is an open secret that university life to many students presents some challenges. They are no longer under the watchful eye of parents who keep tabs on them and as a result they party up a storm.

Whereas parents rightfully expect them to be engaged in serious study, some students are doing anything but studying.

With the monies (change to be precise) that they get from bursaries and scholarships they, as we have unfortunately learnt from press reports, buy liquor and enjoy themselves. Indeed, it is not all of them who do this but some of them.

It is sad to note that our future leaders from whom much is expected are abusing liquor at the rate that they are doing.

It would seem that to some students extra change is not meant to be saved for future use in a worthy venture like buying a gift for our hardworking parents who scrimp and save for us, but to buy liquor.

I acknowledge that our society accepts liquor as a general means of entertainment and fun. However acceptable alcohol may be it remains a drug whose consumption leads to a number of problems whether it is abused or not abused.

Our students need to learn the value of patience, sacrifice and hard work.

On top of these lessons they also need to be taught the difference between instant gratification and delayed gratification. Instant gratification entails wanting it now and not being prepared to wait to get it later.

This phenomenon implies that I want to be happy now and suffer pain at a later stage. Delayed gratification means that it is better to suffer present pain for future gain.

To illustrate this: I am a student who comes from a particular family whose background and struggles I know so well and a lot is expected from me therefore I work hard to succeed.

Delayed gratification implies that instead of partying all night long, I burn the midnight oil and postpone parties until I have finished my studies.

I know it is not easy to be busy poring over books while other students are having the time of their lives. But I can assure students that studying hard has good rewards as opposed to partying hard.

Safety of students on campus is a worrying factor and I am pleased that the university has a “no weapons” rule which was adopted after the killing of the medical student, Lwando Mantshontsho.

Having a rule is one thing, however enforcing that rule is quite another.

From the above cited incident of the late Ntobongwana it is clear that the rule needs to be enforced. Any student found to be in possession of a dangerous weapon needs to be severely punished.

I believe if one student is punished it may send a message to others not to carry weapons around. It is also to be welcomed that the council and management have agreed that a no-alcohol and no weapons rule must be a priority. Two deaths are two too many.

For the Ntobongwana family it means their dreams are shattered as their son has sadly shuffled off this mortal coil. Where they would be celebrating his achievement in getting his degree they now have to prepare for his funeral.

What words can one use to comfort such a distraught family? Can the words be enough to ease the pain?

Let the death of their son be a turning point for all WSU students and may they abandon dangerous weapons and liquor and focus on their studies.

South Africa needs their skills and is waiting for them to share those skills and take the country to greater heights.