University of Malawi delinking: New universities to start operating from May 4
Government, through the Ministry of Education, has finally set 4 May 2021 as date when the colleges under the University of Malawi (Unima) will be officially delinked.
Capital Hill has since appointed a new steering committee to complete the delinking process and operationalization of the new universities.
The steering committee comprises Committe Professor Emmanuel Kaunda (Chairperson), Dr Philip Kaonda, Dr Tasokwa Kakota-Chibowa, Dr Asyatu Chaweza, Dr Macphall Magwira and the Director of Higher Education in the Ministry of Education.
Government resolved to delink Polytechnic, Kamuzu College of Nursing and College of Medicine from Unima to, among others, increase access to higher education and improve governance and operational efficiency in public universities in the country.
In 2019, Parliament okayed the delinking of Unima into three universities; namely the Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences MUBAS through Act No. 19 of 2019; the Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (KUHES); and the University of Malawi (UNIMA) passed as Act No. 18 of 2019.
According to a letter from the Secretary for Education, Raphael Agabu, the established colleges will commence their operations from May 4.
“You may wish to note that the Gazetting of the respective Act Nos. 18, 19 and 20 of 2019 that established the universities and the commencement date is at an advanced stage” the letter, addressed to Unima Vice Chancellor and copied to Principals of Polytechnic, Kamuzu College of Nursing and College of Medicine, reads in part.
The idea to delink Unima colleges received constant support form education activists in the country.
According to them, the restructuring of the colleges is significant in enhancing education growth, among them high standards of academic leadership, financial independence, strong and world-class research as well as world-class academia.
The delinking of the three universities is the second after Bunda College of Agriculture was delinked from Unima and was merged with Natural Resources College to form Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (Luanar).
Unima was established in 1965 and had four constituent colleges.
Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :
Know that delinking Unima is not a better idea. There is no justification for doing that rather a fallacy to create the impression that Malawi has more public universities. You cannot split a university like tomato business. I will reverse this terrible decision when i become president.
i dont think these universities are important if the chief secretary is employing mere MCE holders to the post of director in government. I dont imagine in this day and age somebody would think of employing an MCE holder for a top position in government when there are graduates all over.
I am not surprised because this Zangazanga Chikhosi was recalled from retirement and he worked in government when the highest qualification was MCE hence he thinks things are still the same that is why he is even recalling retirees.
Call it Malawi Polytechnic University (MAPU) osati za MUBAS zanuzo. The original word “polytechnic” must NOT die.
I don’t agree. In other countries, Polytechnics are just mere junior colleges, and they are supposed to be just like that.
In the western world, polytechnics are just like what we call Technical Colleges in Malawi. Not surprising that qualifications from our touted universities are not recognised internationally. You talk of the calibre and standard/state of our university libraries, books found in there are those published in the 70s/80s and yet there are several latest editions of the same text book, possibly about five editions containing new computer age information. With this delinking, hopefully the institutions will now be stand-alone entities in all fields/departments, that all government funding will henceforth stop so that the much needed resources can be focused on… Read more »
Way to go! DPP vision woyeee!