Must in K1.5 billion salary deficit

The Malawi University of Science and Technology (Must) says it is facing a K1.5 billion salary deficit which will put a strain on the institution if not resolved.

Must vice-chancellor Professor Address Malata said they had an overall budget of K2.8 billion but Treasury has instead given them K1 billion.

In an interview on the sidelines of a visit by the Parliamentary Committee on Education on Saturday, she said they have since engaged Secretary to Treasury on the funding gap.

Malata said: “At the end of the day, we need to have staff that are motivated and we also need adequate members of staff because as it stands, there has been a freeze on recruitment.”

She said inadequate funding gaps has in previous years led to the stalling of critical projects at the institution.

Among the projects that have stalled for the previous six years at the institution include construction of a specialised laboratory, accommodation facilities and a hospital focusing on diagnostics.

As a result of inadequate accommodation, about 900 students are accommodated at a facility that used to be the university’s construction camp.

Besides, Malata said the university does not have staff houses and that staff commute from Blantyre on a daily basis. She, however, said Must is implementing various initiatives to be self-reliant.

“We are coming up with initiatives that can help us produce resources. For example we have an industrial park which will be producing several products. [So], we are looking for government support,” she said.

In a separate interview, Mulanje South West legislator George Chaponda, who spoke on behalf of the Parliamentary Committee on Education Committee chairperson, said they will lobby for increased funding to Must so that the institution should not be financially strained.

He said: “We have heard of their concerns and we will take the issues back to Parliament so that we see how best, as a committee, we can lobby for increased funding.”

The committee went to the institution to appreciate challenges being faced, among others.

Must is one of the country’s public universities which was established on December 17 2012. The institution officially opened its doors in March 2014.