Poly Students in trouble!

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Their memories of how they spent months at home staying idle last year are not over yet, but just after a week of opening, Polytechnic Students may be out of school again this time around.

Trouble is now freshly brewing for students at the Malawi Polytechnic, a constituent college of the University of Malawi.

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Lecturers down tools at Poly.

Exclusive information that Malawi24 has indicates that lecturers at the institution have started downing tools from Monday, 21 March 2016.

A source told Malawi24 that the lectures have decided to down tools following disagreements with their employers over their remuneration.

“You can agree with me that the cost of living has risen while our earnings have remained the same, it is for this reason that we are demanding an improvement in our salaries,” said the source who did not want to be named.

According to the source, the lecturers are demanding at least a 15% increment in their monthly earnings.

Separate findings also say a grouping among the lecturers wants up to 75% increment to their perks.

Malawi24 understands that when the lecturers presented the issue to their employers, they were met with contempt. It is from that point that the academics decided to embark on an industrial action.

It is said that no lessons will be offered at the institution from Monday until government addresses their grievances.

It is not known if the strike will cripple other institutions in the university of Malawi.

In August last year, the institution got sealed  after a disagreement between the students and school authorities on loan payment led to student riots.

The students were then called back to the institution a month later after the matter had been resolved.

(More reaction to follow)