Malawi university students demand reversal of 400% fees hike, threaten demos
Students of the University of Malawi (Unima) have given authorities up to November 1 as a deadline to reverse a decision to hike fees from K55,000 to K275,000 and threatened that they will be forced to go into the streets if the 400 percent fee hike is maintained.
According to Unima Council, the hike is aimed at improving tertiary education whose poor standards have been attributed to inadequate resources, among other factors.
But Alexious Kamangila, secretary general of the students union, said the hiked should be revered and that students want an overhaul of the loan scheme that helps students pay the fees.
He said Unima should expect trouble if the new fees are implemented.
Chancellor College Students Union (Succ) president Chipulumutso Asabuni wondered why Unima has brought back the issue of hiking fees, arguing it was rejected when President Peter Mutharika was Minister of Education and the current Minister of Education, Emmanuel Fabiano, was Unima Vice-Chancellor.
Polytechnic Students Union (PSU) president Owen Chikoti said Malawi Polytechnic students have put their foot down and are not going to accept the fees hike.
“Our stand is that we will not accept any fees hike because it is not justifiable. They are saying that education standards will be improved if the fees are increased, but the truth is that inadequacy of money is not the only factor that is contributing to low quality of education within Unima,” said Chikoti.
According to what Kamangila told Sunday Times newspaper, the students are also demanding that government should establish an agency that will ensure graduates pay back loans within three years.
He said these were the last efforts the students were giving government, saying “as leaders, we have and still are avoiding demos because they have adverse effects to our academics as we suffer and lose more.”
Millions of kwachas remain uncollected from defaulting graduates who feel there is no need to pay back the loans and most of them cannot be traced.
The new fees hike will leave students from rich families affording the fees, while the poor will find it tough to pay.
Unima registrar Wokomaatani Malunga and his Assistant Akuzike Maliwichi as well as Professor Mtenje could not be drawn to comment on the development.
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Am with the fees increment. Look around, the whole reason why the UNIs are in an outdated state is because the state does the most paying back those ungrateful students-40grand malswitch provisions monthly. Where do funds for making improvements stand in this situation? Open ur eyes people, 255grand a year is very little money. There are secondary schools that offer education for this much, nobody whines. So before going into the streets-which is irrelevant, consider using those brains u claim to pack. We wouldn’t want to turn out as educated fools in the long run trust me.
Hahahaha…. Muziona mafana.. Mudzayesa xul ndiyophweka. On the other hand, i think the hike is just exhorbitant. Am not against th idea of hiking though we need to know that not everyone affords to raise large amounts as that.
A degree programme at MCA nw is at 255 grand per semester so unima’s hike jx had 2 b made since t z th biggest n th land. Ku ma Demo…. Pitani mafana… Mudzaziona when the authorities will want to smoke you up iya
some names are shameful to take such tasks as tha are mzuzu mafia group with no religion. , sorry inkosi’
must be very retarded or very very stupid, you really expect some one to be paying less than a hundred dollars per year for university education? where in the world does that happen? u know what? we are tired of these stupid unima students who think they are more intelligent than anybody, well here is a news flash for you, those fees are here to stay like it or not,and for the demos, go ahead, but the next thing you know people are gonna hold counter demos, cause its their tax money you are messing with you good for nothing… Read more »
I think those who supports the hike like kanyimbi, chemjambe and Namachelenga are not in Malawi hence they dont know how difficult it is to raise a MK50,000 in this poor country. And if you say maganizo a aMalawi ndi aumphawi, ok thanks. Inu munaphunzila pa loan mwalemera komanso loniyo simukubweza. Athur GM Mtambo, being peaceful people doesnt mean the stupidity of accepting any nosense the government may say. The reason why politician bulldoze us is bcz of that word, Mmalawi ndi wamtendere. One day I and fellow Malawians shall destroy the babylon system and spit venom. Now to the… Read more »
I think those who supports the hike are not in Malawi hence they dont know how difficult it is to raise a MK50,000 in this poor country. And if you say maganizo a aMalawi ndi aumphawi, ok thanks. Inu munaphunzila pa loan mwalemera komanso loniyo simukubweza. Now to the government, take the malata subsidy and put it to Unima. It is unfair to raise it by 400%.
whats wrong with you idiot? Why can’t you leave Northerners alone. Its your Mathanyula government that is instigating demos. So shut up your probosis!
NORTHERNERS ARE BEHIND THESE DEMOS. THEY SAY THEY ARE THE MOST EDUCATED. ASK THEM WHERE THEY GOT THAT EDUCATION AND IF THE FEES AS ARE CHEAP AS K25, 000.
KAMBILANI NDI BOMA MWA UFULU, MALAWI NDI DZIKO LA MTENDERE LOKOMA LA MKAKA NDI UCHU.
Aphwanga, mwalozedwa eti? let them go on the street(demo). we will see on the streets our priolity is shoot & kill.Remember all the cheapest things always not gruntee…Kwa yemwe zimuvute akandiubile zidina. I’ll pay fees.