BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)—Malawi president Peter Mutharika has ordered reduction of fees for various programmes at all constituent colleges of the University of Malawi (Unima) and that Chancellor College which was recently closed be reopened immediately.
Mutharika, who is the Chancellor of the University, made the directive on Thursday during a close-door audience with leaders of the University of Malawi Students Union (UMSU) at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe.
University of Malawi recently hiked fees for both generic and mature students, a development which angered the students arguing the hike was unreasonable considering the country’s economic situation.
With the president’s directive, fees for generic students has been reduced by K50 000 in all constituent colleges. Mature students at College of Medicine will be paying K1 million instead of K1.4 million, K700 000 at Kamuzu College of Nursing and K600 000 for Malawi Polytechnic and Chancellor College.
University Council closed CHANCO two weeks ago after the students from the college went on rampage protesting against fee hike.
The Council cited security as the main reason for the closure of the college.
The protest also spread to Polytechnic in Blantyre, Kamuzu College of Nursing both Blantyre and Lilongwe campus and College of Medicine (CoM).
Today Civil Society Organization (CSOs) held national wide demonstrations to force the government to revise the fees downward, saying the adjustment was unjustifiable.
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3 responses to “Malawi President Mutharika orders reduction of College fees and immediate opening of Chanco”
Malawi is being ruled by orders now at the expense of the authorities responsible. First it was arrest Aniva, now its re-open Chancellor College immediately. Did Mutharika try to find out fully what led to the closure of Chanco? This is excessive use of powers and smells of cheap politics aimed at populism typical of dictators. This has to be nipped in the bud. Let those in authority make an informed decision to re-open Chanco after assessing the situation.
This is good. the president has responded at a right time. as a president he is not supposed to intervene in issues at an early stage, he must come after the concerned parties have failed to reach consensus just as he has done. big up APM
It should never have came to this. However Mutharika’s has shown leadership in resolving the issue very quickly