Civil Society Education Coalition (CSEC) and Youth and Society (YAS) have given the Peter Mutharika administration up to Friday next week to reopen Malawi College of Health Sciences campuses.
The organisations have threatened to take government to court if the college is not opened by Friday, August 12th.
CSEC Executive Director Benedicto Kondowe said this at a joint press briefing with YAS at Golden Peacock Hotel in Lilongwe on Thursday.
It has been eight months since Malawi College of Health Sciences campuses in Lilongwe, Mzuzu and Blantyre were closed due to a strike by the college’s lecturers who are demanding arrears and 47 percent salary increment.
Government raised the salaries by 14 percent and the issue of arrears was also resolved but the lecturers refused to resume their duties.
In his remarks, Kondowe said it is a violation of right to education for the students hence the organisations cannot sit down and watch.
He added that as a way of engaging with government, students and staff are expecting to meet and come up with a solution.
“We are of the view that if the dialogue or meetings fail to yield anything, we will call parents, students and the staff to meet the president failure of which we will therefore go to court because the Constitution of this country gives that power,” he explained
Speaking on the same, Malawi College of Health Sciences Students Union President Ken Bond expressed gratitude for the support from the CSOs.
Bond said that there is hope that the institution will be reopened soon due to the pressure from the Civil Society Organizations.
Earlier, the students tried to engage with the college management, Ministry of Health and Population as well as President Peter Mutharika on the same but nothing came out from the engagements.
Some of the students have complained that their sponsors are pulling out because of the closure of the college.
