Malawi Education: Students demand Chanco opening

…give council seven days

Disturbances of academic calendar due to indefinite closures have now irritated Chancellor College (Chanco) students who have demanded the immediate opening of the constituent college.

This follows reports of a strike by Chancellor College Academic Staff Union (CCASU) who are demanding a 40 percent salary increment.

In a statement released on Wednesday this week, Chanco management said it will not open the college until the issue at hand is resolved.

Reacting on the matter, the students union at the college has demanded the University of Malawi Council to consider opening the college immediately arguing that they are to be affected a lot by the strike.

Students union leader Sylvester Ayuba James said the students have given the council seven days to open the college.

“We will first write the council on our stand and we feel a week is enough [to open the college], failure of which we are to hold national demonstrations,” said Ayuba James.

He further expressed dismay over the continued closure of public colleges arguing they affect the students’ plans.

“Others do have that wish to go for postgraduate studies but they are delayed with the closure of our public universities,” he added.

The council is yet to comment on the matter.

UNIMA students have been subjected to prolonged holidays on issues ranging from students’ allowances to staff salaries.