Students demand Mutharika’s intervention on Chanco closure

Students from Chancellor College (Chanco), a constituent college of University of Malawi (UNIMA), have asked for President Peter Mutharika’s intervention on the continued closure of the institution.

Chanco was closed late last year after academic staff downed tools demanding salaries equal to those of staff from other colleges under UNIMA.

The council then resolved to have the salaries hiked but students are still in homes waiting for authorities to open the college’s doors.

According to the students union president, Sylvester Ayuba James who was speaking on Thursday during a peaceful demonstration, there is need for the president to swiftly act on the matter.

Ayuba James further said the president’s act on the matter will show his commitment to education having in mind that he is the chancellor of the University of Malawi.

“Honestly we would want this issue resolved even as earlier as yesterday. In the first place we should know that this issue wouldn’t have raised because there was no basis for the matter to emerge. Why have we reached this far out of a small thing?

“We would be grateful if we get back in class soonest even tomorrow. At the moment we are working with different non-governmental organizations to get the matter resolved and we are launching an online petition which will go international,” said Ayuba James.

He further said they will ask for international organizations’ intervention if the president fails to meet their wish immediately.

Ayuba James also threatened that if there is no seriousness by the president who is also the Chancellor of Unima, Chanco students will be holding demonstrations every Thursday until the college get reopened.