High university fees scare mature students in Malawi

The exorbitant high fees announced by University of Malawi for mature students has sent shivers down the spine of the students.

A student at College of Medicine Given Kachilika said the increase of the fees from K250,000 to K960,000 and K1.4 million was obscene and a threat to the social economic development of the country.

Kachilika, who is upgrading to become a qualified medical doctor, said the increase would affect mature students because they could not afford to pay.

“We are concerned with the government decision because it will deny those who failed access university education because of space,” he said.

“Most of us qualified to study at university but because the university could not accommodate all of us.”

The University of Malawi which is under criticism for watering down the standards of students welfare having removed cafeteria services.

The accommodation is also highly competitive as students are required to apply for them.

The University of Malawi offered reasonable fees with privates universities’ fees as high as over K1 million a year.

Catholic University, Blantyre International University and DMS formerly St John Baptist Major Seminary for Mangochi Diocese have been high as compared to University of Malawi parallel and mature students.