Chanco students protests against fees hike: Malawi police fire teargas, students next vigil at State House
Students from Chancellor College in Zomba on Monday stage a strike to protest a recent tuition fee hike by the University of Malawi (Unima).
However the students’ protests were met with police’s barriers and tear-gas.
The protestors were calling for “affordable education”.
“Our generation has been betrayed by this government in increases to tuition fees,” said one female student.
Another pointed out that education is a gift from one generation to another, saying “it is not a commodity to be bought expensive like in a high street.”
University of Malawi Students Union (Umsu) president Tionge Sikwese said they decided to hold a vigil at the University Office in Zomba to force the University Council reverse the fee hike.
Sikwese said if Unima Council will not reverses its decision to hike fees, the students will hold a similar vigil at the State House in Lilongwe.
Unima Council recently announced that mature entry students will be paying tuition fees ranging from K900 000 to K1.4 million, first year generic students will pay fees in the range of K400 000 to K600 000 while continuing students will pay K400 000 per annum.
But the increases has been described as an attack on the least privileged students
Those marching on Monday accused government of “impoverishing the poorest students.”
Unima spokesperson Peter Mitunda said strike was ‘unprocedural’ because the students didn’t follow the right procedures.
Sikwese said they informed authorities that they would strike.
He also said the vigil is not politically motivated.
“The public should note that Umsu is not a political party. We warn those who are writing on social media associating Umsu with political parties to stop,” said Sikwese.
But their efforts to stage the vigil ended owing to a police blockade and teargas.
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If you think education is expensive, try ignorance.
Should we really compare Malawian economy to that of USA? Serious?
Hello good people! The ongoing fees hike issue is for everyone especially we Malawians whose our children/wards are at different constituent colleges of the university of Malawi(UNIMA). Firstly I really appreciate that tertiary education at university is really expensive globally. However, we need to act as unit , a unit that knows Malawi and its economy, a unit that is not in USA, not in UK, not in Somalia u can name. These students r not fools, they r intellectuals, they have a basis why they are doing that. They depend on their parents /guardians for the fees. You and… Read more »
This protest is a sign that these students are not well acquainted with how expensive education is. In almost all developed countries, people pay huge amounts in fees. In the USA, while students may get some money in form of scholarships, its almost inevitable that they would attain their degree without a loan of some kind. Majority of the people owe loans that take so many years, almost half of their working life while paying back. With the economic situation prevailing world over, it is unrealistic to expect education and indeed many services to be provided free. The only realistic… Read more »
An ambition and thirsty of vengeance will destroy Man,And mostry riot is the langauge of unhead.Ndinu akuluakulu,Musamenyane pachibale kambilanani.
Crazy students, high fees will translate into quality in teaching and learning. High school fees should be no problem, and what these students should demand is to increase budgetary support to loans board so that the difference caused by the hike should be taken as loans and students should continue paying the same economic fees until, their parents get pay rise.
O…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..O In the days of old; demonstrations were the only language leaders used to understand. . . . As such even for the Unima Council to give us ndalama ya SACCO (as we used to call it); we had to first protest and the same or next day, we were the richest men in Babylon (for a day or week). . . . Even in the year of the Hyena, when Section-65 stood in the way of the national budget; we took our buses to State House (which also used to house Parliament); and swore at, threatened and bashed cars… Read more »
That’s the way to go. Kodi iwowa ikanakhala kuti fees ili chonchi akanaphunzira? This is being insensitive to the needs of the citizens in this country. They want children of poor people not to be educated so that they flood these universities with their dull children. Think of that amount how many parents even those who are working can afford that. Surely if you had a president who grew up and attended Malawian schools or university would not accept this nosense. The one you have has no idea on the level of incomes in this country he thinks in dollar… Read more »