Poly, Mzuni students cancel demo

Polytechnic and Mzuzu University students will not hold demonstrations today, it has been confirmed.

planned nationwide demonstrations which they said motivated by students’ passion of attaining higher education with the aim of boosting the country’s development.

But reports we have now indicate the students have called off the planned demonstrations.

Varying reports say the students have now been given a nod to meet officials from the Ministry of Education and the University Council .

Other reports however say the students fear the demos will not bear any fruits because for the case of Polytechnic, the Council recently asked the court to re-hear the case since Unima was not represented in court when the students carried the day by getting court’s favour to be paying the old fees structure when they open.

The case has since been slated for 12 December for ruling.

As for Mzuni, which has been closed due to a strike by academic and nonacademic staff at the university have been striking to force authorities to increase their monthly pay, government has indicated it has no money to meet the 35 percent salary increment demanded by the university employees.

Mzuni was closed last month when the strike had just started while Poly remains sealed as the fees standoff rages on.

Earlier this year, the University of Malawi (Unima) council raised the fees from K55,000 for government sponsored and  K250,00 for self-sponsored students to K350,000.