Malawi to start phasing out quota system by 2013—Chaponda
Minister of Education, Science and Technology Dr George Chaponda said this on Wednesday in Lilongwe when he toured Bunda College of Agriculture where students are learning in a marquee due to the increased enrolment.
Chaponda said the launch of the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (Luanar) and completion of Malawi University of Science and Technology (Must) in Ndata, Thyolo would enable government to start phasing out the quota system.
“Come 2013, we would say that we are moving towards abolishing the quota system,†he said in an interview after the tour of the tent which has raised concerns among both students and lecturers, who say it is not conducive for learning.
Chaponda said Luanar is expected to be launched in May this year.
Rome was not built in a day
Luanar will incorporate Bunda, formerly a constituent college of the University of Malawi; Natural Resources College (NRC); Chitedze Research Station and the Agriculture Research Trust (Aret).
“Yes, we will have infrastructural challenges, but as it is said, Rome was not built in a day,†said Chaponda.
On the students learning in the tent, Chaponda said it was a temporary arrangement until better infrastructure is put in place.
“This is the best we could do to respond to the increased intake,†he said.
During the visit, Chaponda also met heads of departments, professors and associate professors.
Briefing the minister, principal of the college Professor Moses Kwapata said the marquee was initiated as one of the strategies to deal with the increasing enrolment.
Kwapata said no student was complaining about the tent.
However, in earlier interviews with both students and lecturers and the college’s student union president indicated general discomfort that comes with learning in the tent which is said to be hot and has poor visibility.
