The cost of going to university took centre stage in Parliament, with lawmakers demanding answers over a decision many fear will shut out students from low-income families.
The concerns emerged on Friday as Minister of Education Bright Msaka defended the newly revised public university tuition fees, insisting the increase is necessary despite growing criticism from legislators and the public.
Msaka told Parliament that the adjustment was necessary to address persistent funding gaps in public universities, which he said have affected teaching, research, infrastructure development and student welfare. He said universities had presented three fee adjustment proposals before government approved a 100 percent increase as the most affordable option.
The Minister said the approved model raises annual tuition to MK1.3 million for students at five public universities and MK2 million at Kamuzu University of Health Sciences. He argued that the decision sought to balance the financial sustainability of higher education institutions with the prevailing economic realities.
Msaka maintained that government was mindful that not all families would be able to meet the new fees and said financially disadvantaged students would continue to access higher education through the government student loan scheme.
“There are people in this country that cannot afford the fees, and these are the very people that government is ensuring that their children are supported with loans,” he said.
However, Dedza Mlunduni legislator and Malawi Congress Party Chief Whip Moses Kumkuyu challenged the Minister’s assertion that some families have the capacity to absorb the increase, saying the country’s economic hardships have affected virtually every household.
“People don’t have that capacity in this country. It needs government intervention because everyone is now needy under the current economic pangs,” Kumkuyu said, arguing that families grappling with rising living costs, reduced incomes and poor agricultural returns could not realistically afford the revised tuition fees.
While acknowledging that public universities require adequate funding to maintain quality education, Kumkuyu argued that increasing tuition shifts the financial burden to households at a time when many Malawians are struggling to make ends meet. He urged government to consider stronger interventions to protect access to higher education.
Responding to the concerns, Msaka said Kumkuyu had reinforced the government’s position that support should be directed to those genuinely unable to pay through the student loan programme.
The exchange left Parliament debating a central question surrounding the policy: whether enough Malawian families have the capacity to pay the higher fees or whether greater government support will be needed to keep university education within reach.
The concerns emerged on Friday as Minister of Education Bright Msaka defended the newly revised public university tuition fees, insisting the increase is necessary despite growing criticism from legislators and the public.
Msaka told Parliament that the adjustment was necessary to address persistent funding gaps in public universities, which he said have affected teaching, research, infrastructure development and student welfare. He said universities had presented three fee adjustment proposals before government approved a 100 percent increase as the most affordable option.
The Minister said the approved model raises annual tuition to MK1.3 million for students at five public universities and MK2 million at Kamuzu University of Health Sciences. He argued that the decision sought to balance the financial sustainability of higher education institutions with the prevailing economic realities.
Msaka maintained that government was mindful that not all families would be able to meet the new fees and said financially disadvantaged students would continue to access higher education through the government student loan scheme.
“There are people in this country that cannot afford the fees, and these are the very people that government is ensuring that their children are supported with loans,” he said.
However, Dedza Mlunduni legislator and Malawi Congress Party Chief Whip Moses Kumkuyu challenged the Minister’s assertion that some families have the capacity to absorb the increase, saying the country’s economic hardships have affected virtually every household.
“People don’t have that capacity in this country. It needs government intervention because everyone is now needy under the current economic pangs,” Kumkuyu said, arguing that families grappling with rising living costs, reduced incomes and poor agricultural returns could not realistically afford the revised tuition fees.
While acknowledging that public universities require adequate funding to maintain quality education, Kumkuyu argued that increasing tuition shifts the financial burden to households at a time when many Malawians are struggling to make ends meet. He urged government to consider stronger interventions to protect access to higher education.
Responding to the concerns, Msaka said Kumkuyu had reinforced the government’s position that support should be directed to those genuinely unable to pay through the student loan programme.
The exchange left Parliament debating a central question surrounding the policy: whether enough Malawian families have the capacity to pay the higher fees or whether greater government support will be needed to keep university education within reach.
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