Amidst the 2011 CPUT student strike – Saluting my Industrial Relations students
Contrary to the sad believe that the current CPUT student strike will lead to physical disruption / violence I witnessed very polite student behaviour yesterday morning. While lecturing at the CPUT Graduate Centre for Management - Somerset Square campus yesterday, I was rudely interrupted by a man introducing himself to me as the ‘university president’ demanding I offer him 5 minutes of my time to address the students. My polite request to first conclude my lecture (which was about to be finished) was denied and he requested me to leave.
A warm fuzzy feeling
I offered the students a choice of either leaving the room or to stay and listen to the masquerading university president. Well, they all packed their bags and quietly left the classroom. I was instantly warmed by this extremely polite act by every student in the room. The ‘president’ was schocked….a brief quiet monlogue to him took a couple of minutes to register that this academic day, today and our engagement right here is disenfranchising each and every student of quality education irrespective of the broader striking motive. He left in disbelieved silence just to see the students returning for register-signing and to discuss our next lecturing session.
I salute you my bafundi – this is the reason why I will return on Friday even to lecture you on the pavement outside on Somerset Road if it must. And I will keep returning to commit to quality education throughout 2011.
Same student group during the 2010 Transnet Strike - What Transnet strike? My CPUT students all on time for examination >>
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