Unima defies Peter Mutharika on new fees
After the opening of the College of Medicine (Com) on August 8 and 15 for foundation and continuing students, respectively, The Daily Times has learnt that students are paying the revised University of Malawi (Unima) fees.
This comes against the backdrop of President Peter Muntharika’s directive to slash down the new fees by K50, 000, across the board.
In the reviewed fees, normal entry scholars at
Chancellor College will be required to pay K320,000, The Polytechnic students will be required to pay K380,000, Kamuzu College of Nursing K340,000 while Com scholars will be expected to pay K400, 000 for continuing students and K600,000 for foundation students per academic year.
General Secretary for College of Medicine Students Union (Comsu), Charles Tembo, confirmed that the K50,000 slash has not been factored in yet.
“There is no communication from the University Council on the K50,000 reduction yet. Currently, for pre-medical sciences students to register, they are paying K300,000 and K200,000 for continuing students. This is so because half of the school fees has to be paid upon registration. So far, not more than half the number of the new intake has registered,” he said.
The reduction would have seen foundation students coughing K550,000 and K350,000 for continuing students.
But in an interview on Tuesday, Unima Council Spokesperson, Peter Mitunda, contradicted the students, saying they are paying according to their agreement with the President.
Tembo said about 80 students have so far registered from the new intake of about 200.
“At the beginning of every academic year, we do have a general assembly solely to welcome the new students. But I must say there are so many things that will be highlighted.
“One of them will be to do with late registration fee. Registration is done in a period of two weeks. Whosoever does not come within that time frame pays K1,000 per day. That is to say if that student does not submit a letter for the absence. That is unfair looking at the fee hike amidst us,” he said.
The students who are planning to meet tomorrow, will also discuss on what transpired during their meeting with Mutharika on August 4.
According to Tembo, they would want to know as to who came up with the K50, 000 reduction which is not fair for the students.
Apparently, for those who opened on August 8, have up Friday this week when the registration period ends to report to school.
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