LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Minister of Finance Chithyola Banda has acted on the directive President Lazarus Chakwera made three weeks ago to adjust students’ upkeep.
Speaking in Parliament today, Banda has announced that the allowance for students in public institutions of higher learning has been adjusted to K560 000 per annum, representing a 60 percent increase from the current K350 000.
Chithyola-Banda made the announcement this afternoon during his response to concerns raised by opposition parties and the parliamentary cluster committees.
The remarks come after Zomba Central member of Parliament McNice Abu Naliwa urged the government to reform the student loan’s system to make it more inclusive and accessible to underprivileged students.
Chakwera made the directive on three weeks during the launch of the University Innovation Pod (UniPod) at the Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences (MUBAS).
President Chakwera said apart from revising University students loans, the body together with the minister of finance and education should also revise the allowance of the students.
Stakeholders such as PRISAM commended the President saying this will assist so many students in need of support whose parents cannot afford.
President for PRISAM Dr Ernest Kaonga said their body has been providing support to needy students from secondary schools and Universities.
“Our body receives so many letters from students seeking school fees.Currently we adopted students from secondary and Universities who have no support,” he said.
“So we applaud the President, because many students will be able to access education once their loans are revised,” he said
