I am a first-year Mcast student following the creative media productions course, leading to an advanced diploma.

Our assignments ended last week, meaning no more assignments till the next scholastic year. However, at the very last minute, all students received an e-mail informing us that we have to keep attending school until July 8, adding that the only thing we would have to do is help in the end-of-year exhibition.

Here’s the thing, few students will have their work showcased in the exhibition and Mcast is now forcing every student to attend for a whole month.

What are we going to do? Lift chairs and tables? Carry scaffolding? Prepare refreshments?

We signed up for an educational course in media, not catering, construction or event management. Our assignments are finished and, like any other school, when we finish our exams, we leave. We are repeatedly told: “Mcast only cares if you attend school and learn.” Well, then, may I ask what we are going to learn.

If we do not attend for the next month for this exhibition, we will be kicked out of Mcast due to the 20 per cent absenteeism clause. This is incredibly unfair to those that have done their assignments and passed them on, only to fail if they do not want to attend this complete waste of time.

There are students who have applied for summer jobs, which they now cannot take up.

Other students were caught completely off guard and simply do not want to attend the exhibition, which, in the past, was never classified as mandatory.