Umsu bemoans deteriorating standards in Unima colleges
The University of Malawi Students Union (Umsu) has said students are learning under pathetic conditions in constituent colleges of the University of Malawi (Unima).
Umsu said this on Saturday in Lilongwe during the inauguration of the student body’s committee.
The event was also attended by Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Education responsible for higher education Patrick Kabambe, chairperson of Unima Council, Professor Leonard Kamwanja and Unima Pro-vice-chancellor Professor Alfred Mtenje.
Umsu president Ronald Mhango said most students are eating sub-standard food and are living in dilapidated houses outside campus.
He said the lecture rooms are too small to accommodate the large number of students, especially at Chancellor College.
“It is survival of the fittest. We are in colleges because we want to obtain the certificates. It is hell because everything is below standard,” said Mhango.
He said authorities’ failure to process students’ scholarships in time is also affecting students’ welfare.
Kamwanja said there is need for Unima to maintain high standards.
“The one who came up with the idea of building the colleges cannot be pleased to learn about the status of the colleges. Private institutions are looking much better than our colleges.
“Botswana is now above us. We need to work hard to recover. I am happy that we have a new union and new chancellors. They should come up with strategic plans that can steer recovery and ensure we have enough resources,” said Kamwanja.
Kabambe said government is aware of the challenges and is ready to work with the union and the council to find solutions.
“It is time we stood up as a team to fight our challenges. We welcome advice and partnerships. Our request is that let’s be disciplined and avoid strikes because they just cost us money as we pay people who are not working,” he said.
