Polytechnic students win fees case

The Blantyre high court has this morning ruled in favour of the Polytechnic University students, a constituent college of University of Malawi (UNIMA) on the controversial fees hike row.

Students from the university,obtained a court injunction restraining management from implementing the newly hiked fees arguing that the fees is be effective in the next academic year.

Following the injunction, the management suspended the opening to pave way court proceedings on the matter.

During the court hearing on Wednesday in Blantyre, the court advised the management to implement the fees in the next academic year following facts rendered in the court.

Speaking in an interview with Malawi24, lawyer for the students Wanangwa Hara applauded the ruling saying it reflects the facts presented on the court arguing that the University is a year behind other colleges under UNIMA.

“The court has ruled in favour of the students because the fees was to be effective in 2016/17 academic year while the college is in 2015/16”

“Talking about why the college didn’t appear before the court,the proceedings were supposed to be continue baring in mind that these are academic issues and delaying it means we are infringing other rights” said Hara.

Students union president Frank Mchapuka Msiska advised the students to pay the fees structure as before as instructed by the court.

The UNIMA council revised fees in the public universities arguing that the then structures of tuition payments were far below the cost of education on the world.

The hike saw the students demonstrating arguing that the revised fees were denying rights to education on poor Malawians.

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