STUDENTS AND PARLIAMENT RESPOND TO FEES HIKES: MIXED REACTIONS EMERGE

Mapusu initiates action against tuition fee hikes.

Malawi Public Universities Students Union(mapusu) task force has taken a strong stance to address rising tuition fees. They are actively working to tackle the ongoing problems of fee hikes that impact higher education.

According to a press release, student representatives said’ “a lot of young people in the country are currently failing to finalize higher education due to the escalating cost of school.

They further say they are waging a campaign “fees must fall” to withhold university tuition hikes in order to ensure that all aspiring students have access to higher education.

The task force president, Hope Banda said they are demanding fees reduction based on them not being consulted in the choice of increasing the tuition fees.

“we as student unions (SU) and student’s representative councils (SRC) were not asked for our input. Fees increment affect heavily students and we find it inconsiderate to make such decisions without our input”.

The students’ union has made a strong point saying, the ministry of education, university councils, and university management should reconsider their decision, failure to do so will force students to collectively take another step.

Diverse reactions to fee hikes in parliament.

Members of parliament (MPs) condemn government’s move for allowing public universities to raise tuition fees, saying it will worsen students’ dropout rates.

According to the nation online, speaking in parliament, leader of opposition Kondwani Nankhumwa lamented that not all students will afford the new fees.

Nankhumwa said some universities have raised their fees by almost 100 percent, citing University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR).

“for example LUANAR has raised tuition for undergraduate students from K350 000 to K600 000, and for the mature entry students’ tuition, has gone up to K1 million. This is not fair.” Said Nankhumwa.

On the other hand, leader of the house Richard Chimwendo Banda said university fees were last revised in 2016 and the pressure has been piling on government.