Catholic bishop against quota system of selecting students into Malawi’s public universities
Bishop Professor John Ryan of Mzuzu Diocese of the Catholic Church has challenged the government to listen to concerns over quota system of selecting students into Malawi’s public universities.
A number of sectors criticised the system, arguing it was discriminatory in nature and perceived as a tool for suppressing students from other corners of the country, who were deemed to be having a lion’s share in the public universities.
Speaking when Mzuzu Diocese handed over a primary school block worth K48 million, in Mawende Village, Traditional Authority (T/A) Mtwalo, Mzimba District with funding from German-based organisation Chancern Duch Bildung, Ryan said quota system sidelines deserving students from accessing university education.
“I was a teacher for many years and it pains me to see a student, who has done well in his/her studies, failing to reach tertially education because of the district they come from. Selection of students should be based on ability and capacity,” said Ryan.
The Bishop said denying learners opportunities to further their studies leads them into early marriages which results in high lleracy levels and over population.
“One of the problems in rural Malawi is early marriages, but if children are left to continue with their education it helps prepare them for life. If they get educated and find a job, they are in better position to make sound decisions,” Ryan said.
Mmeber of Parliament for the constituency, Harry Mkadawire, the country need to get rid of the controversial quota system of selecting students to public universities, saying it is “evil”.
State vice-president Saulos Chilima who is leading United Transformation Movement (UTM) is on record saying if voted Head of State next year, his administration will come up with a policy to ensure that government supports universities owned by religious groups to increase access to higher education and abolish quoat system.
Chilima said in doing so, there will be enough space for students across the country and in turn end the quota system.
He said said promoting quota – which demands public institutions of higher learning to select a designated number of students based on their district of origin – brings about divisions among Malawians.
When a nation loses the fear of God and the love of God, its people grope even in broad daylight. This is what is happening to Malawi; and her people who confess Jesus Christ as their example and Lord and Saviour, are the very ones who openly defy before God’s own eyes the very foundation of of their faith, namely Love of God and Love for one another, be it friends or enemies. May God save the nation from wicked hands!
Quota system is here to stay. Entry qualification to university is a minimum of six credits or at least 30 points.
At least every district must have access to university
Another misguided comment from the Catholic church. Do you people believe equality? An entire Bishop showing umbili.
Until I see empirical evidence that quota is not needed in Malawi I bet my last tambala that quota is here to stay. Put it on a referendum and let me people chose. Malawians need to comment on things that they can prove and not what they are told. There is no tribe in Malawi that has higher IQ or EQ than the other. We are all poor because we don’t have the requisite knowledge wisdom and intelligence to create worth. My nephew got 14 points koma lero Ali ku catholic university we are not bitter at all.
By the way, tonse akwathu from nthawi ya Kamuzu mpaka pano we go to University and ndife aku Mulanje
It’s you Patrick Phiri who doesn’t understand how the quota system works in Malawi,
“if all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail” Abraham Maslow. This is a case with Malawi political leaders. There solution to lack of university entry slots is to resort to impose quotas to their own people. Everything is about quotas………even with the expenditure budget of MK1,4 trillion. The north gets the least allocation. Progressive leaders would look at expanding the number of university entry slots, so that no student is left behind on the basis of where they come from; we are all Malawians after all. As UTM has suggested, maybe the solution is distance/online learning to expand number of slots. this concept is already in play with our neighbouring countries and the West. We can just “cut & paste” the concept and roll out. That’s progressive thinking.
Cardinal Rico..
It’s clear,the Bishop doesn’t know how quota system works in Malawi. In the first place, all students who are selected to public universities meet the selection requirements. The challenge is that our public universities do not have sufficient capacity to absorb all that qualify. Secondly, quota system was established for a purpose – to enable all communities benefit from the national cake, since all communities pay tax. Perhaps what the Bishop should do is to lobby for support for government to build more universities to enable everybody who qualifies access higher education.
Here we go again quota system is back on Nyasatimes. Can I suggest one thing: let us put this topic plus others like federation, need of vice president (you see one crazy vice president will part ways with his boss just seconds after being sworn and and stay at home the whole 5 years enjoying the benefits of the vice presidency all in the name of constitutional mandate!) and rotational presidency to vote in May 2018. In some countries they combine hot topics decisions with the general elections. Let us not bury our heads in the sand pretending all is well out there, no, there is fire on the mountain.
The Bishop should keep quiet.He doesn’t know the predicament of other students who go to public secondary schools. The Catholic Church has made education more expensive through its privatization of all secondary schools under its armpits. This Bishop must take a careful look at students who benefit from Catholic privatized secondary schools because of their parents’ financial muscle. He is Bishop for Mzuzu and I urge him to go to rural Mzimba to acquaint himself why quota system can at least accord the rural North’s students can dream of a walk in the corridors of the university.
Men of the collar I urge you to stop speaking for the rich in Mzuzu, Blantyre, Lilongwe,Zomba and others dotted peri-urban districts. Stand up to speak for the poor strongly to benefit from the system. Do not speak up because a fellow Catholic in the name of Dr Saulos k Chilima has adorned it as a campaign tool. Open your eyes wide the clergymen.
It shows you have no idea on how the quota system is administered
Please note that Bishop John Ryan has taught at Misuku CDSS in Chitipa, St. Patricks Seminary in Rumphi and Mzuzu University. He has grassroot knowledge and knows what he is talking about.
The Catholic merely took over the running of their schools after noting that standards in those schools were going down and that the structures were being neglected. The Catholic and government operated the schools jointly with the latter providing a specific funding. This changed after the yellow regime came to power in 1994. Funding proved problematic. The Catholic then got back their schools. To date their schools are posting very good results. The structures are good. Cases in points are St Mary’s in Zomba, Mary Mount in Mzuzu and Zomba Catholic in Zomba.
What the hell is Bishop talking about? So he is the one sponsoring Chilima right? Tell him to leave Malawi alone, this is not Italy
Hope our Professor the educationist (APM) is reading this article. Given his credentials, i would have thought that he should be the first one to condemn quota system and find a solution to it. He should be the first one to appreciate that any deserving student should go to university despite the place he or she comes from. For the good 4 years his administration has done nothing to resolve this evil quota system. I am 100% convinced that it has nothing to do with lack of resources but rather lack of political will.
How can a student scoring 14 points being left out and you take a student with 28 points to go to university and blame lack of resources yet we have R145 millions and more flying around, does that make sense?!
If a student at Bwaila Secondary School whose father is Nyirenda from Rumphi gets 14 points will not go to public university in Malawi. While his colleague at same school whose father is Banda from Lilongwe will go to university with 36 points. How then does the issue of resources arise here. Quota is mean to punish northerners. It was first introduced by MCP then reintroduced by DPP. Way forward is to go to court and challenge this. It has to stop now before next year’s election.
No, it does not make sense. The best solution is to built more public universities to accommodate all those who aspire to make it into university regardless of where one comes from.
Quota system merely prevents the construction of more universities. It is a mechanism that makes it possible that few spaces are available and that those not wanted are sieved in order to accommodate those perceived to be in need of university education. It is a very insidious policy which is leading to lowering of university education standards. How I wish Malawi had 20 public universities in almost all the districts. Districts with lazy students will easily be noted assuming selection has been done.
John Ryan, your comments just show how ignorant you are about Malawi. Firstly, our education standards are not distributed equally in all areas of Malawi for example; we have good schools that are well equipped starting from infrastructure, laboratories, libraries, electricity, teaching and learning materials plus adequate teachers etc. whereas some schools are pathetic with the opposite of what I have said yet the students write the same examination. Some districts are at advantage because they have access to electricity, good roads and all necessities whereas others are at a big disadvantage to access the same. You’ll be surprised to see the students in disadvantaged districts who got 22points at MCSE finishing their Bachelors with a distinction when a student at a good secondary with all the necessities around him is weeded at college yet he got 9 points at MSCE. Now you are coming with your stupid suggestion thinking that you are wiser than Malawians. You are not, you are just stupid. You need to go back to your country where everything is in order and preach your stupid ideas there not here. All in all why are you here taking Malawians positions? We don’t want you here.
Its shithead thinkers like you Mr Blame game that dont understand that there is no sympathy in IQ. That’s the very reason Malawi universities fail to achieve better rankings at international levels.
Don’t loose temper with a mere discussion like this! Take it or leave it, there is no sympathy at all in IQ but the truth is that getting 6 or 7, or 10 points is not a yard stick that somebody is smart!!
Without giving their surnames, Mbukwa and Msukwa from Mzuzu Government and Chaminade Secondary respectively failed to proceed to degree programme in 1990 due to poor performance irrespective they joined the UNIMA with 9 and 10 points respectively!! These can also tell the nation how students from Day Secondary Schools and CDSS [then MCC] who you always believe are useless outperformed them and qualified for degree!! Mind you during the 80s all students were exerted to Diploma Exam and only the best were picked for a degree and a good sample of those whom society regarded as smart proved otherwise and performed miserably!! Lets stop hiding behind Quota system to advance our dirty tack-ticks!! Zinazi tiyeni tizinena ndi zitsanzo zooneka ndi maso!! Laslty I strongly wish it is a high UNIMA did an assessment of performance at University between those who were presumed smart and those who were presumed went to University on Quota system!! Zinazi ndi udani basiand zikhoza kuyambitsa civil war chifukwa no society in Malawi will allow to be paying tax when their children are not adequately benefiting!!
Having gone through UNIMA myself and outshone by people fro central and southern region, I see no reason why quota system is in place. We are all capable regardless of where we come from and therefore no reason origin should be a factor in selecting students to a university. University Education is not parliament that calls for representation from every centimetre of the land. You do not walk into the University. You qualify for your place using your brain. Getting selected on quota basis is the same as being wheel-barrowed in to the university. I for one wouldn’t find any motivation where I know I have been given a push down the slope. University education is not for the dull. That’s why in the recent times professionals have questioned the products from our universities. People have to earn a place in the University!
But the truth still remains that those who are against quota are the ones who have more hatred against other tribes because the public University have never enrolled anybody from the areas you hate who did not have six credits as per the policy? Secondly, quota system does not mention of selecting people based on where they come from, rather it allows students from same area to compete for space provided to them by the nation!! And this is exactly what is happening when selecting standard 8 students into national secondary schools. Why do those who are against quota do feel bad about that? Don’t we have students who have better grade denied spaces in national secondary schools? Its time to remove the hatred against others chifukwatu izi izi ndithudi tsiku lina zidzayambitsa kwaomkwao nfati ku Rwanda!!
If people had facts against quota system why didn’t they air that during the ZODIAK debate two weeks ago!! Ngati tikufuna umodzi, ndithudi tiyeni tizionetsa kulola anzathu adye nawo zomwe asonkha nawo za tax! Apo bi, tsiku lina tidzagawana dzikoli ndipo mudzandikhulupilila!! Dzianthu tikudana nazo za gulezi, tisadzione kupusa chifukwa chokhala chete, popeza kukhala chete sikutanthaza kusaganiza!! Maudindo owapeza chifukwa cha school ngakhale atakoma bwanji, asatipangitse kuphangila zonse kuti zikhale zathu, apo biiiiiiiiiiii ndikuneleza tidzaona anthu atayamba kuukilana komanso kupilikitsana!! Lets wait and seeeeeeeee time will solve and tell us a lot about the feelings in people……………..!
Correct. Even within the 100 ranking for universities in Africa there is none from Malawi. Zimbabwe has one between position 47 and 53.
Good argument but with wrong assumptions. Like for example, who between two is disadvantaged in this case scenario. A rural boy from Nthalire Community Day and a nephew of cabinet minister repeating his MSCE at Kaphuka; Private, the former scores 14 points but left out of university selection and the later has 18 points and is selected (given same program of choice) just because of district of origin? Where is equity here (unfairly fair?).
By the way, when, who and where was such a research activity conducted that make other people foolishly claim/ believe that other rural areas are more advantaged than others.
SHAME on MEDIOCRITY!!!
Mr. Blame Game, I am pained by your post, especially the parts that aim to demean and deride His Lordship, the Bishop of Mzuzu. Should you have time, pay him a visit, and get to know of the road that he has travelled.
I tender most sincere apologies to His Lordship, on your behalf.
You too have no idea on the administration of the system. There is no consideration whatsoever about rural or poor resourced school. It is about districts and regions. Most of those that are selected still come from good schools. 10 per district, the next lot on merit but based on district population, if any district does not have adequate numbers then neighbouring districts
You, dunderhead, Bishop Ryan is a former Professor in Mathematics. Convince us with solid arguments to tow your piggery ideas if at all you can.
I think Mr. Blame Game is too dull to understand that God never use quota system whether resources are there or not.So why should we as pathetic as we are in the poorest country in the world be doing this. if you support quota system in education then you should be ready to support quota system in all sectors where other regions have been disadvantaged. Also this quota system should also be a yardstick in choosing the president! Do you understand?
Pls tell me what advantages does Rumphi Secondary have as compared to Balaka Secondary School or Namitere Secondary School?
it our tax payers money from nsanje to chitipa and all malawians should benefit not only one corner of malawi.for you atsamunda dont comments much on malawi issues .your are not part us
Nosense …ngat mlibe mfundo zokomenta osangokhala chete bwanji pumbwa iwe ….who have no future…..
Quota system works all over the world. That is the main reason why Catholics have never chosen PAPA from Africa. Quota system for choosing PAPA do not favor Africa. So leave our quota system alone unless you starting choosing Africans for papacy positions.
Thats a total lie about POPE.Emanuel Mlingo from Zambia was suppose to be a POPE before the current one but he got married to a South Korean hence he could not chosen,so stop your stupid arguiment here
Emmanuel Mlingo was about to be pope? Lego ndiwe wa bodza heavyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!! Who chose elected Mlingo? Awanso nawo awa bobdza ilo bodza iloooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!
Foolish comment
That is lie. Quota System is not applied all over the world. The manner in which it is applied depends on circumstances. Ask tobacco growers? In Malawi’s scenario, the system is applied with sinister motives such as punishing candidates in specific catchment areas.
You are even failing to construct good sentences in English. This is how shithead you are, pretending to be a dumbass Mkandawire while you are some asshole niga from elsewhere! Fuck your ass!
Quota system is evil mothefucker whether your ass likes it or not. Its only shitheads with low IQ and self esteem that hate it!
Let me caution those who are against end to Quota System. Please be reasonable and do not be abusive to the Catholic Church and it’s leadership. Those of you who are sensible know how much the Catholic has done and continues to do for this country in terms of development in education, health, agriculture, politics and all. When Right Reverend John Ryan says that he is speaking as a former teacher, he knows what he is talking about. Almost 80 percent of the top politicians you see today, and those of the past, have had their education in Catholic institutions. Dr. Chakwera, himself is such product. In Malawi and elsewhere in the world the best educational institutions are those of the Catholic Church. In Malawi the Catholic Church has more primary schools, more secondary schools than Malawi Government. And most of the Secondary Schools are subsidised by government to enable needy people to afford. It has two universities and a numerous technical colleges and
politechnics.The same goes for its hospitals. Talk of districts like Balaka, the Andiamo Campus, the District Hospital itself was donated by the Catholic Church, you have the Lepra Center at Utale dating back a hundred years. What about schools for the deaf and blind across the country? What about the mental Hospital in Mzuzu, the St. John of God. What about Sainted Egidio. I could go on for ever. Places like Phalombe, Namwera, Nchalo, Fatima, etc depend on Catholic Hospitals. So to throw abuse at the Catholic Church for political reasons is in the least, very unfortunate. Worse still when you drag the the Holy Father, the Pope into your arguments, it’s lack of prudence, to say the least. Ask our President, if the Catholic Church decided one day to privatise all it’s institutions and run them commercially, this country would gride to a halt. But of course the Church can’t do that. The Catholic Church knows the evils of Quota System better than those who are implementing it. Stop
Those of you who are abusing Bishop Ryan, do you know the Catholic Church? Go to Capitol Hill and ask what he Came to holic Church means to this country in terms of development, education, health, agriculture, training, culture, etc. Take away the Catholic Church and it’s institutions and Malawi is no more. And whatever rubbish you write, do not involve the Pope. If you don’t believe me, then somebody will make you.