Thika Technical students strike over unresolved grievances.

Thika Technical Training Institute students demonstrate outside their college gate on Tuesday against what they termed as an unresponsive administration.

Thika Technical Training Institute on Tuesday morning went on strike protesting over a number of complaints against the administration whom they accused of failing to address the students' needs for the last three years.

The students cited insecurity, poor learning conditions in the school premises and noted that the various facilities in the institution including toilets and bathrooms were in a poor state that was not conducive for learning.

Other issues raised by the students included an alleged misuse of funds, frequent water outages, blocked sewers, no WiFi and some teachers neglecting their duties.

Police had to use teargas to disperse the students who were matching who had started to vandalise the college facilities and blocking the busy General Kago Road, causing heavy traffic snarl-ups.

Speaking to Thika Town Today, the students said that they resulted to the boycott after the administration opted to turn a deaf ear to their grievances even after having met the students for four times over the matter.

“The situation has gotten out of hand and as the student leaders, we have been unable to control their anger which is definitely justified after four years of unresolved issues. The students are schooling under very poor and pathetic learning conditions not withstanding risking their health through blocked sewer,” said Joseph Kiarie the President of the student council.

He blamed the matter on the institution’s Board of Management whom he accused of being insensitive of the students’ welfare.

“The Board (of Management) has really failed us and we demand their disbandment and a fresh board reconstituted. How can student live in such condition and yet they fail to rectify despite the students paying fees to cater for some of these services?” he asked.

Ismael Mohamed who is the student Finance and Internal Affairs minister sighted insecurity as a major concern for the students claiming that they have had frequent attacks from thugs especially from the sprawling Kiandutu slums since the institution lacked a permanent perimeter wall to shield them.

“Barely a week passes without students getting violently robbed by thugs who access the compound through our porous fence bordering Kiandutu slums. Some of us have been stabbed but no one seems alarmed over the escalating insecurity,” said Mohamed.

The Health and Environment Minister Daniel Mbugua took the press round to show them the extent of the health risks the students faced in the course of their stay in school.

Several toilets were in horrible state with one already blocked and overflowing raw sewer. Several of the classrooms did not have window panes with some bearing naked electric wires hanging dangerously.

“We usually suffer a lot here especially with water and sanitary facilities. Rarely do we get water and it is our fear that we are getting exposed to diseases without anyone really coming to our aid.

Efforts to get a response from the school administration hit a snag as the Principal declined to talk to the press.