Fees hike at University of Malawi for mature students face
University of Malawi has increased its tuition fees for mature students from 2016/17 academic calendar , according to a leaked memo dated May 12, 2016 from office of the University Registrar as seen by Nyasa Times.
Signed by the University registrar Benedicto Malunga, the memo indicates that the University has agreed to vary fees for mature students and generic students.
“I write to advise that Council of the University of Malawi resolved to adjust the fees paid by its mature students upwards,” communicates the memo.
The University has said that all the students that will be admitted in the 2016/17 academic year will be subject to the new fee change agreed at an extraordinary meeting of the Council for the University of Malawi.
Mature entry admitted to Chancellor College in Zomba will be required to pay K900,000 tuition fees, according to the memo.
College of Medicine will charge K1.4 million; Kamuzu College of Nursing K1 million and Polytechnic fees is now pegged at K950,000.
Fees were at K275,000 before the increase.
University of Malawi spokesperson Peter Mitunda confirmed the adjustments.
Mitunda said government did not want to subside fees for mature entry students who largely come from working class.
But the astronomical rise in university tuition fees for mature students has received criticism from commentators.
President of Economist Association of Malawi, Henry Kachaje, took to Facebook to denounce the adjustment.
“ We are creating an elite society where only the rich will have access to university education, thus deepening the divide between the rich and the poor (80% of normal selection already comes from private schools).
“But I still believe that we can find a way to make education accessible to all especially that education still remains the greatest equaliser between the rich and the poor,” Kachaje wrote.
Most people commenting on social media dubbed the increase “an outrage”.
They argued that the fees hike will have a serious and damaging impact on second chance students, those who didn’t go to university after school but have seen the prospect of mature studies as an opportunity to improve their education and career prospects some years later.
The fess hike will be a deterrent for mature students, they observed.
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I would not say that this was unexpected from a government that wants easy money for their personal use while the ordinary citizens are wallowing in hardship.
The effects of Kwacha depreciation, when kwacha moves from 450 to 750 within 1 year, this is what heppens the public suffer. Even exminations come from Abroad. Imagine 1pound is now over Mk1000.00. Chuka please help as without education Malawi cannot progress. Chuka give Malawi a stable Kwacha please
Let there will be done for who HE is owning them is watching. HE will provide a way forward for a better tomorrow for you and me. Heal the World!
Malawi. It is high time we stopped crying to THE CREATURE, trusting in the arm of the flesh, for it will not helped us!!!! Let us instead, each one of us, humble ourselves, pray TO OUR LOVING AND FORGIVING HEAVENLY FATHER YAHWEH GOD ALONE, whilst turning away from ALL our wicked ways and HYPOCRISIES, and He will surely pardon and HEAL US AND RESTORE US AGAIN. IF WE DON’T DO THIS SIMPLE AND STRAIGHT-FORWARD COMMAND FROM THE LOVING LORD AND SAVIOUR, THE ONLY ONE FOR THAT MATTER, AND IF WE WILL CONTINUE BEING DISOBEDIENT TO HIS COMMAND, WE SHOULD NOT… Read more »
Please help me to understand the issue, is the hike pegged per annum or semester? Much as I support the hike on grounds that Mature Entry is meant for the working class as much funds realised from there will be used to support the generic students, the fees are too much even for the working class.
Please, please, please our MPs save us from these selfish people. Enafe sitinaphunzire kwathu kudalibe ndalama, tayamba kaganyu komanso kubwereza school ndicholinga choti tizikankhe. Koma apa zitheka? Nkhondotu iyi akuiyambayi ndithu.
This is crazy, I mean thats why poor people will never succeed in education. I wonder why there is no fees must fall. We give you more respect hopefully.
Why show us the memo and then rewrite what’s on the memo on the article? I mean, now O had to read the same thing twice? Come on man!
COM ndiyodhula kale sitikudandaula mwina kwa enanu!
SO YOU GUYS KNOW THAT VERY FEW PEOPLE CAN AFORD AND YOU WENT AHEAD TO IMPLEMENT THE NEW FEES!!!
WHO ARE YOU TARGETING TO RECEIVE HIGHER EDUCATION?