University of Malawi graduands petition Chakwera on delayed graduation
Students from University of Malawi (Unima) have petitioned President Lazarus Chakwera to intervene on the delayed graduation which was supposed to be held last year.
This follows the standoff which is there between graduates and University Council.
In his statement before presenting the petition to the Office of the President and Cabinet through Zomba district council on Friday, Publicity Secretary for concerned students taskforce Masida Shaba said they want President Chakwera to use executive order to make sure that the date for the graduation is released with immediate effect.
Shaba said the second reason they have demonstrated was that they are against to conduct online graduation the council proposed.
“We are not in line with decision by University Council to give us what they call virtual graduation where they conduct through online,” he said.
The concerned students said online graduation does not respect the right of fellow friends with visual impairment.
Concerned graduands also said they are against with the reasons University Council is giving on conducting online graduation one of them being complaining about Corona Virus preventive measures which they repeatedly assured the council to abide by all the rules gazetted concerning Covid -19.
“We also argued that political rallies are being held by government officials the latest being the one held at Pirimiti during the launch of Affordable Input Programme (AIP) where the President attended.
He added that university council has been such kind of people are savages in which they oppose saying they know what they do as Malawi Covid 19 cases are decreasing every day.
“What we want is normal graduation not giving us unpractical reason. We want the President to intervene in this issue immediately so that we graduate,” he added.
Receiving petition on behalf of Zomba district commissioners, Director of Education Charles Sakwata thanked them for conducting peaceful demonstration and urged them to maintain the same.
Sakwata further assured them that the council will deliver the petition to relevant authorities.
Graduates from Chancellor College (Chanco), Kamuzu college of Nursing, College of Medicine and Polytechnic were supposed to have graduation last year but suspended due to Covid 19 pandemic.
Only two, Masida Shaba from Chanco and Faith Kaferawanthu from KCN were available and presented petition on behalf of their colleagues with presence of over 20 police officers who escorted them.
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Just get your f….degrees and go.
Graduations are the final reward after spending years at school but even with a delay of festivities it should not delay the issuing of Diplomas, Degrees transcripts that successful students may need to apply for employment positions
Graduation ceremony is just a ceremony after all. It’s hardly necessary. No need for ex-students to assemble at one location and catch COVID. One can get his/her degrees/diplomas and academic transcripts from UNIMA without the ceremony. Palibe nkhani apa. Mxii!!
When shall University of Malawi begin to behave like a university? This is very shameful and disgusting to see students crying for their deserved graduation which this University appears to deny them. We know students demonstrate against raising of fees, delayed opening dates of their colleges, some college administrators, poor diet, poor security, etc. but the extent of demonstrating against delayed graduation. This is unheard of in the history of our University and it shows how worse standards at the University are. This indicates how sluggish and rotten the system has become, and urgently in need of reformation. This is… Read more »