PSU obtains court injunction against fee hike
The Polytechnic Student’s Union (PSU) on Wednesday obtained an injunction from the High Court in Blantyre stopping college authorities from implementing the new hiked tuition fees.
The union wants the authorities to maintain the old fees structure of K55 000 and K250 000 for government and self sponsored students respectively and not the hiked fee of K350 000.
Speaking in an interview Thursday, PSU publicity secretary Precious Chilundu said the injunction was obtained Wednesday through their lawyer Wanangwa Hara following discussions with the students in a quest to achieve justice and fairness in matters surrounding the fee hike.
Chilundu argued that due to delay in the Polytechnic academic calendar, the college is still in the 2015/2016 academic year and not in the 2016/2017 academic year, which the University of Malawi (Unima) fees hike is meant for.
“Let it be known that due to past events that led to repeated closure of the college, we are one year behind calendar. Our friends have graduated with the old tuition fees, implementing the new fees will be against the interest of justice and fairness,” said Chilundu.
The new school calendar begins on Monday, October 3 for first year students and October 10 for the rest of the students.
Chilundu said the court order means that students have legal support to pay according to the old fees structure.
Registrar of the Polytechnic Moses Mwenye referred Nation On-Line to Unima spokesperson Peter Mitunda who was yet to respond.
