Heavy police presence in BT as fears of Poly demos grow
There was heavy police presence in the morning hours of Friday in Blantyre, especially around Ginnery Corner as fears that students of The Polytechnic, a constituent college of the University of Malawi, may be joining demonstrations against fee hike heighten.
The Polytechnic students did not join their Chancellor College (Chanco) counterparts as they staged demonstrations on Monday and Tuesday because they were sitting for examinations.
The police including those of the Mobile Force (PMF) were seen moving around the highway with some heavy police machinery parked at strategic places along the road.
However they left the area at around 11am after noticing nothing unusual both at the college and on the road which is highly targeted during such events.
Initially, the students planned to stage demonstrations and disturb Thursday and Friday exams upon failure by the Polytechnic Students Union (PSU) to give them feedback on the issue of fee hike following what they called inhuman communication from the council.
Information reaching The Nation Online indicates that the PSU called for a general assembly this afternoon where they will map the way forward.
Unima council recently announced that mature entry students will be paying tuition fees ranging from K900 000 to K1.4 million, first year generic students will pay fees in the range of K400 000 to K600 000 while continuing students will pay K400 000 per annum.
