University students petition Malawi Parliament: Demand adequate funds for loan board

Students Union Leaders from public universities in Malawi on Thursday afternoon delivered a petition to Parliament, demanding adequate funding for the newly established Higher Education Students Grants and Loan Board to enable it include more needy students to access to loans.

Davis Jiva reading Petition with some students who went to parliament
Davis Jiva reading Petition with some students who went to parliament
Agnes Nyalonje: Received the petition on behalf of parliament
Agnes Nyalonje: Received the petition on behalf of parliament

The Board’s national fiscal budget allocation is currently at K1.5 billion and has released names of beneficiaries.

However, Students Union Leadership says the number of beneficiaries is very small comparing to the situations on the ground at the colleges, left so many other deserving students so desperate for the help of the Malawi government for their education.

The petition which is only making three demands was presented to the Speaker through Vice Chairperson for the Education Committee of Parliament, MP Agnes Nyalonje.

When reading the petition, Davis Jiva, Secretary General for the Students Union at the University of Malawi’s The Polytechnic College said they want government to double the budget allocated to the Board so that a lot of needy students are able to access to the loan.

He also indicated that, due to inadequate funds at the Board, a good number of students on the list of beneficiaries have been underfunded.

“Some students have just been given fees only but lacking stipend (money for food and accommodation). Statistically, the Malawi Polytechnic with a population of about 3,000 only 96 have been allocated with up-keep allowance; Chancellor College with a population of 4,500, only 90 students have been allocated stipend,” he said

He continued: “For example, tuition fee at University of Malawi is K275 thousand, some students have been given K165 thousand as tuition fee. So the question is where would the needy student going to get the remaining money to pay for the tuition fee?”

Other two demands in their petition, the students wants to be consulted and involved to allow the Board to understand some of the in depth understanding of the students and that there should be a review of the Higher Education Students Grants and Loan Board Act to provide a section where the role of students unions should be clearly stated.

The petition also observe that the Board has released the names of the beneficiaries without seeking consultation and that there is no communication on the date to which loans will be disbursed to individual applicant a delay which is causing some students to be withdrawn from the colleges.

“For example, a student from LUANAR whose mother’s source of income is kachasu, withdrew from university because she could not meet costs for accommodation, meals and tuition,” reads the petition.

Students Union Leadership demands the National Assembly to work on their petition within two weeks so that needy students are not subjected to ‘no fees no registration’ policy.

Receiving, the petition Nyalonje promised to deliver the letter to Speaker and help the students on their grievance.

The Petition has jointly been signed by University of Malawi Students Union Council, Mzuzu University Students Representative Council, Lilongwe University Agriculture and Natural Resources Students Union and Malawi University of Science and Technology Students Union.

Government abolished stipends to all public universities and introduced Higher Education Students Loan and Grants Board where students can apply for the tuition, stationary and upkeep allowance.

However, the Board admitted that due to limited funding it will be difficult to consider all applicants for the Loans and Grants.

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Tasaukanalo
Tasaukanalo
8 years ago

Tiyeni tione chatsitsa dzaye kuti njovu ithyoke m’nyanga, kodi nthawi ija amasankha a government ndi a self sponsored ma petition adalembedwako? Why this year? It seems board yomwe ikusankha anawa siili serious. Ana ambiri omwe apatsidwa ma loan ndi ana a mabwana pomwe ana akaviike luzi komanso amasiye asiyidwa kodi chilungamo chili pati? Enanu simukadakhala ma professor or ma Doctor kukadakhala kuti ku university kapena ku college munkalipira makolo anu adali am’ mphawi otheratu kumasowa ndi maluwa sopo yemwe lero mukuti ana anzanu adzilipira siufiti umenewu? Chonde kondani anzanu monga momwe anzanu anakukonderani kuti muphunzire kufika pomwe lero mulipa. Just… Read more »

mukharapwio
8 years ago

when things like these happen i just feel like go on the rooftop and laugh hard.isn’t this the same guy u poly students called Malawis Obama when he unknowingly proclaimed that during his time public colleges wont be shut and he wont raise the fees(search audios of his campaign),the one who promised better wages for civil servants who are now spending their whole salaries to pay katapira.the transformative leader u misery teachers/police rigged votes for.can’t u shut up,fold ur arms and watch the show as he is leading us in wrecking the economy

Prince Edward rsa
Prince Edward rsa
8 years ago

Here in rsa the government is for the pipo by the pipo.students can demand zero school fees and it happen y bcoz its pipo who voted since in malawi aparty can pay bribes to bcom agoverning party its imposible to demand awellfare of the students, even the welfare of its citizen can be ignored bcoz even the malawians themself they do not know that government itself cannot do meaningful development when its citizens are just quite,you have to show anger and you must be violent for the government to act swiftly if you remain dom forget about meaningful development azingobabeee… Read more »

Mashamase
Mashamase
8 years ago

Education is the key

Walhelha ochavo
8 years ago

koma kumenekooo

Julius
Julius
8 years ago

Koma madolo, b serious. u really get to my nerves whenever u carry out those so-called demos, strikes kaya mukuti zima petition i dont know. My heart really longs for a degree u r deliberately playing around with. Imagine u are against that K275, 000 yet mukukhalira pa geli pompo plus loan/allowance chimodz modz zikatheka degree while anzanufe we pay 4 weekend lessons K300,000. no allowance mukudandaulayo instead we use ma transport & lunch then we just get a diploma within the range of 2 yrs. Osamagwiranso ntchito koma kumangopanga ma ganyu while saving like hell all to pay for… Read more »

Julius
Julius
8 years ago

Koma madolo, b serious. u really get to my nerves whenever u carry out those so-called demos, strikes kaya mukuti zima petition i dont know. My heart really longs for a degree u r deliberately playing around with. Imagine u are against that K275, 000 yet mukukhalira pa geli pompo plus loan/allowance chimodz modz zikatheka degree while anzanufe we pay 4 weekend lessons K300,000. no allowance mukudandaulayo instead we use ma transport & lunch then we just get a diploma within the range of 2 yrs. Osamagwiranso ntchito koma kumangopanga ma ganyu while saving like hell all to pay for… Read more »

Achakulungwa
8 years ago

Mphwanga ukuwelenga petition be very careful akupanga za Robert Chasowa, (may His Soul Rest in Peace). Pajatu bomali ndilazifwamba silifuna kudzudzulidwa nde samalira angakupange tintini…

bololo
bololo
8 years ago

most of these students akawapatsa ndalama za accommodation ndizimene amamwela mowa & start insulting people in the streets. osawapatsa, those who really need education will find a way out on their own. ukoooooooooooo!

thakolagalu
8 years ago

what was the criteria for selecting these so called needy students,did they consult the respective colleges?as a concern citizen i have seen a number of students who have been shortlisted as beneficiaries of the same “students loan” from a well to do family leaving out the real needy students amene alibe makolo awo amaphunzira ku maschool osawoneka bwino chifukwa cha khama lawo they managed to make it to the university as im saying now they are hopeless and are planning kumapita kwawo just because of anthu adyera.mulungu akulangeni and mudzafa imfa yowawa.

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