Student rituals known here as “praxes”, which have been known to cause serious injuries, even deaths, are now the subject of an open-letter from 100 personalities – many of them MPs – all calling for a change in direction. The objective is to “create an alternative” to students’ integration to universities and colleges, and explain that “praxes” are not mandatory. VIPs hopes are for the issue to “open public debate”.
Perhaps the worst incidence of a “praxe” that went horribly wrong is the case of the six students swept to their deaths at Meco beach, near Sesimbra, in December 2013.
The youngsters had all been in the water, in their university gowns, performing a bizarre ritual.
