FEES HIKE VS RIGHT TO EDUCATION

 

The tuition fee of public universities in Malawi has gone up dramatically this year which will prohibit the right to education to needy student

The development comes after some public universities have pegged their fees per academic year at MWK 650,000 or more.                   

Speaking in an interview with one of the students at MUBAS Deborah Banda said, it is unfair decision to raise fees from K350,000 to K650,000 at the most public universities as most of the students cannot afford to pay such a huge amount of money.

“I completely ignore fee adjustment in public universities as most of my fellow students come from poor economic ground and most of our parents have financial pressure due to prevailing economic conditions in Malawi.”, said Banda.

For instance, the Lilongwe of agriculture of Natural Resources and UNIMA have increased their tuition fee from K350, 000 to k600, 000. So, this will hinder rights to education of most students as the number of beneficiaries of loans board has increased to25,000 from 15, 000 in the year 2019. As a result of this the budget for the loans board will not qualify with the high fee adjustments.

However, the minister of education commented that, it is necessary to hike the fees now to enable the universities to provide adequate and quality education. 

Despite the justified reasons for the fees rate the minister of education has recommended not more than 650,000 for each institution per academic year.

Section 13(f) of the republic of Malawi Constitution obligates the state to provide adequate resources to the education sector and device program in order to eliminate illiteracy in Malawi and primary education compulsory to be   free for all citizens of Malawi. It also offers access to higher learning and continuing education.