Isa Kaita College of Education, Dutsinma, Katsina, has been shut following the death of seven students from suspected outbreak of Cholera and Meningitis.

The decision to close down the school for two weeks was reached after an emergency meeting of the school’s academic board held last Friday, a source privy at the meeting confided in our reporter.

Our reporter gathered that the deaths are suspected to be from cholera and meningitis due to overcrowding and lack of toilets facilities in most of the private hostels the students occupies.

However, when contacted the spokesman of the college said the school was not shut but went on a midterm break. This is the second time we embarking on such break.

Malam Muntari Bala, though admitted that four of the school’s students have died within a month but the causes of their death were from varies saying that “one died from accident, one fell sick went home and died and two within the school that died.”

He also said: “There are some repair works to be carried out especially at the female hostels which necessitated such break and after a while there is the need for students to go visit home.

“We used to have all those rumours, that over 20 students of the college have died, this is not so, although we lost four students within a period of four weeks from various causes. In the female hostel there is an overhead tank to be erected, they promised to do that and female hostels need privacy for the ladies.

“Even with all these hues and cries, we have vaccinated them as well, the students can bear us witness.”

It could be recalled that last month alone, two students of the neighbouring Federal University Dutsinma had died in similar circumstances just as eight students of Science Secondary School Kurfi died from related causes. (Daily Trust)