UTM President Dalitso Kabambe has called on the government to reverse the recently approved 100 percent tuition fee increase for public universities, arguing that the decision will place higher education beyond the reach of many students from poor families.

Speaking during a news conference in Lilongwe on Tuesday, Kabambe urged government to reprioritise spending within the K11.8 trillion national budget instead of transferring the cost to students.

He proposed cutting non-essential expenditure, investing pension funds in student accommodation and restoring free meals in public universities.

"Government must immediately reverse this unjustified 100 percent fee increase and reprioritise the existing budget by reducing low-priority expenditure and redirecting those resources towards public university education," Kabambe said.

He further suggested reducing allocations to State Residences and the Office of the President and Cabinet, saying the savings could be channelled towards higher education to improve access for deserving students.

Meanwhile, Naomi Mbeya, a student at the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources who attended Kabambe's briefing, said the fee increase has already caused anxiety among students from disadvantaged families who fear they may fail to continue with their studies.

However, Secretary for Education Dr. Ken Ndala defended the adjustment in a statement issued last week, saying public universities sought a review because of rising operational costs and inadequate funding.

He said government approved the increase as the most practical short-term solution while maintaining its commitment to supporting needy students.

"Government remains committed to ensuring that no deserving student is denied access to higher education due to financial constraints," Ndala said.

The revised fees take effect from the 2026/27 academic year beginning in September.

The increase applies to the University of Malawi, Mzuzu University, Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences, Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources and Malawi University of Science and Technology, where annual tuition has risen from K650,000 to K1.3 million.