The Council of the University of Malawi has told its students who have been demanding a raise in monthly stipend and a reduction in tuition fees that it cannot do so.
This development has since irked Polytechnic students who say they will march to Sanjika today (Friday) to raise their concerns.
The Council said this at a press Conference at the Central Office of Information in Lilongwe on on Thursday.
The news conference was addressed by the council’s vice-chairperson Dr Elizabeth Sibale who was accompanied by Vice-Chancellor Dr Emmanuel Fabiano, university registrar Benedicto Okomaatani Malunga and ministry education officials.
“On increasing living allowance for government sponsored students, Government advised the council that it would not be able to afford the demand due to budgetary constraints…government would be required to find additional funds amounting to K119.9 million [about $286 000] per month for three months to meet the demand,” said Sibale reading a communique signed by herself.
She added that bowing down to the demand would mean other universities such as Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (Luanar) and Mzuzu University would also demand the increment. She said that would translate into an additional K524 million (about $1.3m) for the three public universities.
President of the Polytechnic Students Union, Wakisa Simukonda reacting to the news said he was very disappointed in the Council for failing to address any of their demands.
