‘They can drop out’: student unrest erupts at China school over removal of power sockets from dormitories due to night-time phone use
- Viral letter of protest over plug-pulling move says it will impact student life
- Technical institute chiefs double down on decision, tell anyone against it can ‘drop out’
.JPG?itok=NUwH9YK3&v=1713190226)
A technical institute in China which became so fed up with people staying up late to play video games on their phones that it removed all the power sockets from its dormitories has caused uproar among the student body.
Anger spilled over at Anhui Suzhou Institute of Technology in eastern China’s Anhui province as students filled the corridors in a five-storey dormitory block.
They protested by shouting, throwing paper and clothes on the floor and lighting some of the material on fire, according to a video that went viral overnight on October 17.
It is unclear whether the school informed the students about its decision, but an anonymous member of staff quoted by Guizhou TV insisted the socket removal would remain in place.
“Power sockets in the dormitories must be cut off otherwise the students are on their phones the whole night,” the member of staff said.
When asked about concerns that students could not charge their phones, the member of staff doubled down on the decision.
“From next Monday, all students are not allowed to bring phones to the campus,” the member of staff said, adding that anyone who disagrees with the policy could drop out of the school.
An angry student’s letter criticising the move went viral online.
The letter said the student had heard that the college decided to remove the power sockets because someone had been caught secretly cooking food in their room, which could be understood.
However, there was bewilderment at why the school cut all the power sockets for everyone.
The letter said the move would cause significant disruption to student life, such as receiving homework notifications and recharging meal cards.
It also suggested institute staff follow their own example and remove the sockets in faculty offices.
The story sparked a widespread discussion on social media with many backing the stance of the school.
One online observer said: “The institute is acting responsibly for the students’ wellbeing.”
Another said: “The school deserves our support because it is resisting pressure to protect the students.”
