Malawi government stopped from raising fees in public schools

Dec 04, 2015 Politics 204
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Malawi Parliament Peter Mutharika
Jessie Kabwila
Kabwila: Opposed the hike.

Malawi’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has been stopped from going ahead to hike school fees in colleges and secondary schools by the opposition in parliament.

Government and opposition on Thursday rocked horns on the purported decision by government to raise fees in the schools in a bid to help the staggering economy wake up from its slumber.

But opposition parties argue that this should have been done only when the country is out of the economic hardships it is facing.

Vocal Malawi Congress Party (MCP) Member of Parliament for Salima Central Felix Jumbe initially moved the motion which urged government to put a halt the whole essence of raising the fees.

Jumbe questioned the reasoning behind the aid hike saying that it is not right to call for the hike when the country is hit by economic woes.

He said 70 per cent of Malawians are extremely poor with the highest interest rate in Africa after South Sudan, a country that has been at war for many decades.

Jumbe was backed by Jessie Kabwila who said increasing the school fees in public secondary will necessitate the number of school dropout especially girls in the country.

Francis kasaila
Kasaila: Defended government.

The vocal activist also argued that the planned hike will force many poor students to stop going to school, a development she said will propel illiteracy levels in the country.

But government through its leader in the House, Francis Kasaila turned its ire on why the opposition would want to block the decision.

He said that the legislators have no mandate to stop what the executive arm of government agreed.

Government continues to face stumbling blocks to bring the economy back on track.

Just recently Malawi24 was highly tipped that the Peter Mutharika led government intends to sack some of its civil servants as a means of saving funds to run other core issues nationally.

Among other things government has failed to employ nurses it trained it public training institutions, a development that led to an incessant brain drain lately.

Teachers trained under the flagship Initial Primary Teachers Education (IPTE) are reportedly failing to the same dungeon.

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204 Comments

  2. We are not saying it should be free education but when raising xool fees they should also take into consideration that most Malawians leave below poverty line.

  3. Really? What about the poor? Are you listening to yourself? People are going to bed with empty stomach bcoz they have no food, can you pay school fees while hungry? No man! I wish I could hear you saying people must use this opportunity grab it with 2 hands and send their children to free schools, imagine u ddnt go to school bcoz u couldn’t afford good education would you be able to write good English like this? A aaaa! Nalema nanu sopano ninunkha mang’ina. CHECK THIS OUT!

  6. Opposition is our future government not what we have now,they want to increase while Poor Pple still surf! That why i hate U dpp like i hate to be in hell.why don’t u think but poor pple then cash gate.Bt remember Chuma chathu chili muthaka why we are still buy maize out side?

  10. Malawians can manage to pay for their children even to pay in hospitals, but what if the government will end up with cash gate again? We’re sick and tired with wht leaders using fuko la a Malawi.

  16. The fact is that not all DPP supporters are rich so if you say government is right to raise the fees then you dont have love for your fellow supporters who are extremely deep in poverty coz they will suffer the same like those who support opposition

  19. Thus very very guud ,fees hiking is not the way to improve quality education no! Many wil stop going to xool so no quality of eduction there

  22. Vuto alomwe ambiri ndi osaphuzira ndiye akufuna tifanane nawo ife,
    Apo zakanika,or atakweza fees tiphuzira baxi wamva Pitara

  23. Having an absolately free education and health services, suffocating our economy and at the same time promoting laziness, a reasonable amount should be charged even at primary school and publlic hospitals.we should not forget that bugdetary support was withdrawn bY this so called ‘doners’.

  24. But i was i support with the schl fee hike becoz the problem is that in Malawi we need everything to be handed either for free or at a very cheap price/servrice fee. How do u expect the govt to generate revenues? Throught taxes only? No wonder Malawians are heavily taxed people the whole of Sourthern Africa if not the whole Africa. No wonder we are the poorest in the world. My foot!

  26. Hw a poor nation will develope, less salaries with on incriment failling to get basic necessities of lyf now u r speeding up poverty via this bad implementation I totally furious with dis vote yanga nabesa ndithu

  28. Mwaigwira ntchito aphungu otsutsa
    Mulungu salola kuti anthu azuzike moposa mulingo, enough is enough samalani abomanu ichi ndi chiyambi chabe mwazuza mtundu wamalawi mangani mabulake

  30. big opposition thats nice my parents are already struggling to pay the fees so what if its raised again then i will have nothing to do just being a good baby bearer.

  31. This is what we want..let the oppositions continue like this..look around you..some families cant even afford to buy uniforms for there children and your here supporting them in raising fees??some to this state dont go to school already..so ask yourself how many will stop if the fees hikes???dont check your pockets when talking but check other pockets

  35. ETI ANA ADPP AKUDANDAULA NDIMFUNDOYI POTI AKUTI IWOSIKANAWAKHUDZA ATI IKANKHUDZA OKHA A OPPOSITION .ZODZIKONDA BASI IIIII KOMA MNGULU III.KUTUZUKA.

  36. Hehehehe!!!!!! MCP 2019???? aaaaa ndinayina mcp tsinkhu langali ine, ndipo ndikawonetsetsa apa , From 2014 till now” this is a job in paliament for the position paty,koma mpka winawe mkumati””2019,2019 2019!!!!!! zamkutu”””

  38. amen yolipira. mayesonso atsitse Ama ambiri sanalipiirebe mayeso makolo akulephera kupeza neslaná 8000 ema mpakana 15000 its tooooooo much guys

  39. That is a good ideal becouse we are good in cashgate not to achieve our goal and our Leaders are greedy and they are not ready to promote our country.

  40. you say education is the KEY so why are you making expensive for WE ..mukufuna ana anu mukumphunzisawo tizizawatchulanso abwana

  41. Here is an intelligent Opposition; talking sense. How can the Government say they have no money and yet they are busy buying malata and cement for the politically motivated housing subsidy? Buying people malata and cement at a time when patients are starving in the hospitals? Does the govt have priorities? I thank all opposition MPs for their bold stand.

  44. kumeneko ndiye kubwera awopo ngati amati amangiratu chiliza china kwa madetsa, kumponela agwa nayo anovirikanawo kwa zimpitako.
    bravo our mps in opposition and some paragmatic mps that support us.

  46. This thing you said Pitala or whatever it called itself is wicked. I’m sick and tired of it’s leadership. This one is not from Malawi because if it is from Malawi, was supposed to think for the poor people. Why God always keep wicked things for so long?

  50. Malawians wake up! Our country is not developing because of free things,out of 52 african country it is only malawi that offer free servinces,am in Mocambique most mocambiquans rush to Malawi to run away charges in hospitals at Ntcheu and Dedza hospitals and möney is lost with foreiners and see govt fail to post teachers say it do not have money still in schools there need of teachers,govt should raise money from all sectors not only from tax,it is very poor country still loosing money,you oppositions dont just opposise without looking results, you say poor people should they get money? I was born in poor and mother headed family still we went to secondary ,why not with others? Its high time to depend on free things,l would be even happy if govt hospital it woud have its charges in addition to education sector

    1. its true but u cant compare malawi with moshiko. pafizipo inatiwawa man . ana awiri ku college awiri kusekondale. adakakhala sanabe ndalama m’boma kunali koyenera kutero. mavuto tikuwawonawa baba ndiwomwewo. konse kuli umboni kumayaka moto. zinthu zawulere sizitukula dziko koma iwowo anatibera akudziwa

  58. Good opposition,akuzolowera kungonena mama JB koma iwowo zikuwalephera,zolowera pa window ndizimenezo simudawine chisankho chapa 20 May,2014.

  60. Ulemu wanu Achakwera, ulamuliro wanu ndiwomwe tiri kuufuna tudziwa kuti udzakhala okomera aliyese. Mavuto osewa ndi Mbendera,madandaulo awanthu Mbendera apezanao mavuto.

  61. Kabwila and jumbe ndimakape angofuna kuononga zikoli kabwila sangachite manyazi ndimene mboma lakwawo lija lilili. Moti azichita zazeru apa she don’t that any one who is above 35yrs can not vote MCP only fools can do

  67. The idea to postpone the high fee implementation is good on account of the following:

    – most students who were selected to year 1 in public universities failed to register because their patents or guardian or by themselves failed to raise even half of the fees;
    – We could even see some of the selected young men and girls in the media telling of their sad tales of failing to raise enough fees to register and the good thing is some companies and individuals of goodwill provided the fees
    – the government promise that they will provide loans to students who failed to raise fees was only on paper as the loans were only given to a small number of the students as most of them were left in the cold
    – Those that were left in the cold withdrew from the university and their future is in doubt

    Still, I wonder if this parliament resolution will be implemented by the executive as the government side was mostly opposing this being the case and another problem is that these universities could suffer financial losses hence I doubt the decision’s practicality!!!

  69. I congratulate the opposition for rejecting that bad bill. The same government is complaining about hunger in the country, they are re-charging us for motor vehicle driving licence, they are proposing hospital contributions. HOW DO THEY THINK A VILLAGE STUDENT WILL GO THROUGH ALL THIS. Allow malawians to have a sigh of relief. We are already over taxed. Tidzapuma liti?

  70. we are facing financial hardship why this stupid govt raised fees without considering povarty this govt is failure i support mcp come 2019 u will rule malawi

    1. mcp will rule in ur house.for as long as mcp is based in central region then it will remain as op party.since 1994 which party has ruled malawi from central region? tell me central region president who ruled malawi after kamuzu? hope u will solve wat i mean

    2. They said the same thing 2 obama,,,nobody can see the future control fate or change destiny,,,nobody can make a personal choice on behalf of 15millon+ people,,,let the millions decide

  71. I tell you, all diphiphi supporters are very useless. They support everything done by diphiphi, simply because the party is run by pitala. What is pitala mathanyula after all? Can Malawi develop with such stupid and dull people?

    2. kkkkk Ndipo Big, anthu andarewa especially Presidents are usually send By the satanist to worsen things in Africa so tht they can easly come 2 control and Pass their New worrld order

  75. I stand to differ with all the commentators who are in support of that motion. Intact its high time Malawi needed to move away from free public services because such services are costly only retards development of other govt sectors. I’m against the idea of stoping govt from implementing that policy. Much as am aware that Malawi is poor but not as poor. Should we say democracy had brought cute poverty to malawians? Those of you who were there during kamuzu banda, you will agree with me that no education in general was for free. I grew up in a family which could not afford a kobo for my school fees but I managed to educate myself up to Dedza Govt Secondary School. In short, am a self made man. I would support the motion if it aimed at reducing the fees to something than nothing. I challenge you guys, that with free govt services, education standards and even health services plus others will not improve for the better. I call it the opposition political propaganda.

    9. #Jonathan, koma ngati abambo ako ali nduna ya boma, usaganize kuti anthu onse m’dziko muno akudya ndalama ya za boma. ndiwe munthu wosaphunzira. People are saying 70% of this country’s populations are in extrem poverty and you say no, What kind of man are you?

    11. Boma likhoza kukweza fees koma choti udziwe ndichakuti ndalama zimenezo zipita kwa Anthu wochepa osati chitukuko monga ukuganizira,ugotenga chitsazo cha Cashgate ija.

    14. I agree with you but this is not the best time. Imagine K12,000 per term for CDSS student who will not go anywhere. Free services will NEVER be sustained, that’s a fact.

    15. It seems like you want the govt to reintroduce the kamuzu banda policies u cannot improve and develop as country if the education system is paralysed by hiking fees for schools.In my country zambia the opposition united party for national development has promised the electorates that if they win next year,s elections they will implement free education concept from primary up to tertiary level and their messege has been welcomed by all zambians who have woved to go and vote enmasse to ensure that the opposition wins.

    16. Amene mukuoneka achuma ngati iweyo mungathe kupanga suport boma ndi ndalama mwina mungathe kungolipirira schl anthu tonse wosauka ku university zonse zaboma ndi secondary kenako mkuliuza bomalo kuti likweze fees. Ukamadya nsima uzitholoza Mulungu poti sionse adya ngati iweyo ena adayamba kugona ndinjala kuyambira week yatha.

    21. All you have shown here is arrogance and lack of compassion for poor malawians. Do you know mavuto omwe anthu amakhala nawo kumidziku? In 2013, my niece almost failed to attend the 2nd term of form 3, all because of a simple k3000. Anthu ngati amenewa kuwakwezera feez aphunzira?

  76. Two months later people will start complaining about bad schools, no materials, no teachers and other things. Now you know why

    2. Fees is a part of it. You want your government to do things for you but you don’t want to contribute. Same problem with medicine. Malawi is not rich, we need the peoples money to go further. But if you people will be stingy like this. It will be the same for 100s of years for malawi

  79. we need opposition that can stand by poor pple in these trying times. Malawians, lets all stand united to defend our relatives in the village who are desperate of the current economic situation in the country. Big up! our opposition.

  86. Instead of assisting poor malawians u r here now pausing problems to them through fee hike and unreasonable taxes. Mwanyanayo boma asiyireni anzanu.

  87. MA BULUTU A OPPOSITION, TELL US HOW WE CAN IMPROVE THE EDUCATION SYSTEM

  88. kodi aphungu aboma amavotera kuti school fees ikwere ok apa ndamvetsa kuti apa ndiye DPP ndiboma lokuba kodi bwanji phungu wa Phalombe north nayenso anali kutithira khondo kuti anthu alephere sukulu aaa DPP siyani bola MCP

  94. Once again IM VINDICATED.I dd say tht raising fees ths tim ws not onl UNTIMELY but also SENSELESS.Wht abt tht BLIND SUPPORTERS of DPP??U suport a lot of NOSENSE from ur STUPID party.

  100. Ndi chifukwa chake che muthalika amafuna kuti chakwera apite ku chipani chake. Amafuna azingovomera chili chotse asamasutsenso.

  105. at last after the decades of opposing,the MCP have finally showed their part in running the government.You get paid for this,help the govt to run the nation

    3. Kodi mukamakhala mati ameneyo ndi president kapena mbava yaikulu m’dzikolo? Mukuona ngati mutayamba kulipira chizasithe ndichani ngati sikukula kwa umbuli ndi umbuli wanuwo? Mukulephera kulipira panopa ndie akakwezaso mudzatani? Kutereko zochepa zomwe amapeza ma school akalipira zomwezo amabaso ndie akakweza mukufuna kuti amangeso ndata yake tsopano. Nonsese

  110. Thats responsibility of opposition ndamunyadira phungu anayambitsa nkhaniyi,vote yanga ndikuilila ine ku Ndirande kunavuta zipolowe nthawi yachisankho koma ndinazikakamiza kukabesa vote yanga.

  121. thats why we have opposition parties. a big hand to opposition benches…….am still supporting the rulling party!!

  125. I DONT UNDERSTAND THIS GOVERNMENT ALWAYS CRYING THAT THEY DONT HAVE MONEY CONFISCATE CASHGATE MONEY AND PUT IT BACK IN GOVERNMENT IT DOESNT MAKE SENSE TO RAISE SKOOL FEES WHILE YOU GOT CASHAGATE MONEY BANKED IN THE COUNTRY YOU MUST MAKE USE OF THAT MONEY

  127. Mudavotera professor amene sadziwa mavuto anu. wina mwamanyazi ake akuti ndine wa DPP hahaha! uganize bwino pa uphawi wabweretsa mtsogoleri wa DPP!

    3. You want to tell me that you dont know that fees is paid by parents?If govt.raises fees and doesnt raise salaries for parents do you really see how these two will balance???

    5. Omega Jofilisi Nkhuyidyera ali ndi mzeru uyu koma mwina inuyo ndiye mulibe mzeru ,kumachotsa kaye chako chitsotso usanachotse chamzako ,munaziwona kuti? Nanga ndi dziko liti kumene salary imachita balance cost of living? Dziko lomse lapansi cost of living is very expensive

    6. Aise ndiwe kape sumaganiza ulibeso nzeru, makolo ndi omwe amapereka fees kwa mwana, mwina iweyo udari under basary. Fees amakuripirira ndi ma bungwe thats why ukuthoka shit, koma zindikira kt boma lilipoli silikulubada anthu akumidzi komaso omwe ariso ovutika kwambiri padziko pano. Komaso ndi omwe amakhara bussy ukavota kusiyana ndi anthu atown,

    7. Apongozi anga a Chalira kwa kaima kulibwanji, just to let you know that life is unaffordable, you can’t afford life ,we always go through thick and thin but only that government must consider the poorest malawians before hiking some bills

    11. I,am talking this out of experience.15yrs work experience in civil service I know what I,am saying ok you want to tell me all those who’ve agreed are fools???

    13. It’s all because of democracy during Kamuzu Banda primary school timalipila k3.50 plus 50 tambala khadi still it was very expensive, makolo samapakwanitsa kulipila, anthu ambiri analephera kupita ku school because of fees ,education is very expensive every where but government must just consider poor malawians before hiking its bills, am saying consider otherwise life is not such cheap

    14. Kuchokera nthawi yomwe fees idachotsedwa,ndi angati amaliza sukulu moyenera nanga ndi angati alebmbedwa ntchito ndimaphunziro awowo?? mwana form 4 chizungu ndi apongozi komanso even timawelenga nkhani zina kuchokera kwa atolankhani a lero chingelezi chakecho” mmmmmmmmmm ndine mbuli xool idandilaka koma zinazi zikuwonjeza,xool yabwino idali ya kamuzu Banda basi….

  144. So you Opposition, when stopping government from doing so, have you gave govt alternatives to ensure quality education??

    1. Friend
      The issue here is not about quality education. Gvt. intend to do this to cushion itself against the hard economic times the country is passing through. Follow these issues with keen interest from the beginning please without engaging in politics.

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