Students agitate at China school after removal of power sockets from dormitories

There was outrage among the student body when a technical institute in China decided to remove all the power outlets from its dorm rooms because it was sick of people staying up late to play video games on their phones.

At the Anhui Suzhou Institute of Technology in the Anhui Province in eastern China, where students were crammed into a five-story dormitory building, rage overflowed into the hallways.

A video that went viral overnight on October 17 shows them shouting, tossing paper and clothing on the ground, and setting some of it on fire as a form of protest.

Although it is unknown if the school informed the children of its choice, a staff member who preferred to remain unnamed and was mentioned by Guizhou TV maintained the socket removal would not be changed.

“Power sockets in the dormitories must be cut off otherwise the students are on their phones the whole night,” the member of staff told the media.

When questioned about complaints from students who couldn’t charge their phones, the staff member reiterated their stance.

All students will not be permitted to carry phones to campus starting on Monday, the staff member announced, adding that any student who disagrees with the rule may withdraw from the institution.

A letter from a frustrated student denouncing the action went viral online.

According to the letter, the student had heard that the college had chosen to take away the power outlets since someone had been discovered cooking meals in secret in their dorm.

There was confusion over why the school turned off all the power outlets for everyone, though.

According to the letter, the change will seriously disrupt aspects of student life including receiving homework notices and refilling food cards.

Additionally, it was advised that institution workers remove the sockets from faculty offices in order to set a good example.

Many people supported the school’s position in the extensive discussion that followed the news on social media.

According to a commenter online, “The institute is acting responsibly for the students’ wellbeing.”

Another person added: “The school deserves our support because it is defying demands to safeguard the students.”

(With agency inputs)