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85 Students Withdraw from UNIMA and MUBAS

MUBAS students previously washing cars to raise funds for needy students' meals MUBAS students previously washing cars to raise funds for needy students' meals - pic by Happy Njalam'mano

85 students have withdrawn from University of Malawi (UNIMA) and Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences (MUBAS) for failing to pay tuition fees.

Of the students, 75 are from MUBAS and the other 10 are from UNIMA with fears that the numbers may increase.

The Universities students’ unions representatives Yamikani Juma from UNIMA and Franklin Kadewere from MUBAS told Zodiak on Wednesday that the other 1, 400 are currently struggling to meet upkeep expenses with higher chances of dropping out.

Juma who is Director of Social Welfare in the Student’s Representative Council said the reported cases of students who have withdrawn are 10 while 403 students are struggling with their upkeep which may force them to withdraw.

“As you know most of the students in the universities are needy students who depend on loans and grants from the government so they had already budgeted their money.

“But with the effects of Covid there has been closures and extensions which has left many stranded. Right now, we are looking for assistance to help keep our colleagues in school,” he said.

Kadewere said at MUBAS alone over 1 000 students are struggling to meet upkeep expenses which may force them to withdraw.

Commenting on the matter, education activist Limbani Nsapato said now it is time for the Tonse Alliance government to fulfill its campaign promises of having no child withdraw from school.

“It is a bad thing to have students withdrawing from school and the government should step in and assist the needy students, I mean the money they get in assistance is not much.

“In fact, this is the time now for the Tonse Alliance to fulfill the promises they made during their campaign and make sure no student withdraws from school,” he said.

An official from Higher Loans and Grants board Dr Henry Chingaipe said they will address the matter in a board meeting next week and explore ways on how to bail out the needy students.

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Last modified on Monday, 13/09/2021

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