By Fatsani Gunya
BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-University of Malawi (Unima) will shortly be able to host about 1900 students at a go during lectures, a move that is expected to bring back efficiency to the institution of higher learning.
The move follows plans to construct a double storey teaching complex that is slated for Unima’s main campus, Chancellor College in Zomba.
The scheme, aimed at expanding learning space at the college, will be funded by the World Bank under its Skills for a Vibrant Economy (SAVE) Project.
UNIMA SAVE Project Coordinator Jonas Mwatseteta bemoaned lack of classroom space as one of the challenges in increasing access to skills development programs.
“Currently, access to such programmes in priority areas of the economy, is poor particularly to female students. And yet, the programs happen to be relevant to the country’s labour market, and that of beyond,” he said.
Mwatseteza made the remarks when a SAVE Project Technical Committee (PTC) toured the college ahead of the initiative.
As it stands, the University has now adopted a 12-hour teaching cycle, extending from 7.00 am to 19:00 hours as there are currently a few rooms to cater for the prevailing student population.
Normally, classes at Chanco used to run from 7:30 am to 5pm, with an hour-long break in between from 12:30pm, before the latest adjustments.
However, the University admits that while the intervention tends to solve one problem by increasing contact time with students, it remains problematic on some other aspects.
“We feel this creates challenges for students who resides outside the campus, especially females and those with special needs. What it means is they become prone to attacks as they walk back to their residemces at night,” Mwatseteta explained in a separate interview on Monday.
Director of Higher Education Dr Levis Eneya who led the PTC tour to the University alongside his co-chairperson Aubrey Matemba, applauded UNIMA for its development efforts, plans and commitment to the project.
The technical commitee has since asked the university to speed up its construction works under SAVE so that it increases student intake in the subsequent academic calendars.
The intervention lies in line with President Lazarus Chakwera’s aspirations towards increasing access to higher education.
Apart from pledging to construct more infrastructure to accommodate more students in public universities, Chakwera, under his Leaving No One Behind philosophy, has also been championing skills development especially among the youth.
In the philosophy, the President feels that the youths are to be adequately prepared for self-sustainability for continued socio-economic growth in the country.
Just a fortnight ago, government launched the National Youth Service (NYS) to help the country realise the dream, whose success largely lies on mindset change in individuals and producing more entrepreneurs amid reports of dwindling industrial growth in the country.
