A crisis is growing in Malawi’s education system, one that threatens the academic dreams, safety and dignity of thousands of university students.
Even though university enrolment has consistently increased, campus infrastructure development has not kept pace. This has resulted in a severe shortage of student accommodation, forcing students to live off-campus under unsafe and unaffordable conditions.
The rise in university admissions, as evidenced by the recent years’ harmonised university selection lists processed by the National Council for Higher Education, reflects a positive development.
More Malawian youths are accessing higher education than ever before. However, for most students, the journey through university is fraught with difficulties.
With too few hostels to accommodate the growing number of students, many are forced to rent rooms in nearby townships or suburbs, far from the lecture halls, libraries and laboratories they need to succeed.
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For example, the University of Malawi website reveals that the university registers over 10,000 students annually. However, only about 1,500 students from that large number secure a bed on campus.
Where do the remaining 8,000-plus students live? They live in places such as Chikanda, Chinamwali, Mpondabwino, Ndakhalira and other distant locations.
Students at Mzuzu University (Mzuni), Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences (Mubas), Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources and Kamuzu University of Health Sciences face similar challenges.
Out of the 10,000 students Mzuni and Mubas each register, only around 1,000 can live on campus. This forces the rest to commute from areas such as Kang’ona, Luwinga and Lupaso in the case of Mzuni, places located more than three kilometres away.
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Students residing far from campus endure lengthy and exhausting daily commutes. They walk for over an hour in each direction, often through unsafe areas.
This daily ordeal is not just tiring; it eats into valuable study time and drains the energy needed for academic success. The long distances also deter students from returning to campus for study groups.
My friend from Domasi College of Education, Kerson Nthondo, has often told me that his academic performance has declined because he stopped going to the library at night after his classmate was ambushed and injured with a panga knife on his way home. It is simply not safe for students to walk long distances after dark.
This story is far from unique. Incidents of students being attacked on their way to and from campus are disturbingly common.
Personal gadgets such as phones and laptops, which are vital tools for university learning, are the main targets.
Moreover, not long ago, we heard of a case involving 20-year-old Daud Mchitakupha who was sentenced to 18 years in prison for raping a 24-year-old student nurse at Chinsapo 1 Graveyard in Lilongwe.
The fear of nighttime ambushes forces students to either compromise their academic pursuits or expose themselves to potential harm.
As if security issues were not enough, affordability is another major burden. Landlords take advantage of students’ desperation by overpricing rooms.
On average, students living off-campus spend up to K50,000 per month on accommodation, with some being charged over K80,000.
Most of these students come from low-income families and rely on limited support from guardians or government loans, which often fail to cover both tuition and living expenses.
As Mzuni’s social welfare director, I have witnessed students being evicted during the semester due to unpaid rent, leaving them scrambling for shelter.
Sometimes they are forced to sleep in lecture halls, unfinished buildings or overcrowded rooms shared with too many peers in what we call kubondesana. Such instability makes it nearly impossible for them to focus on their studies.
To make matters worse, many off-campus hostels offer poor living conditions. Basic necessities such as running water, proper sanitation, electricity and security are not guaranteed.
For young students, especially those newly transitioning from secondary school, this unstructured and sometimes risky environment can expose them to negative influences or even exploitation.
This is deeply concerning. These experiences lead to high levels of anxiety, depression and academic burnout. Students’ performance in class suffers, and many are unable to reach their full potential—not because they lack ability, but because the system fails to meet their basic needs.
This crisis demands urgent attention from the government, educational institutions and development partners. Safe and affordable accommodation must be recognised as part of every student’s right to education.
The Ministry of Education must therefore allocate dedicated funds towards constructing more student hostels at all public universities. Come on, Malawi has been independent for 61 years; we are no longer a baby nation. We can and must do better.
If we are serious about investing in Malawi’s future, we must go beyond classrooms and lecture halls. We must invest in the well-being, safety and dignity of every student.
That means ensuring that no one is denied opportunity simply because they lack a place to stay. It is time to act on this overlooked crisis and build a higher education system where students can thrive, not just survive. Chonde!
The author is a student at Mzuzu University, writing in his personal capacity.
