Chancellor College Academic Staff Union (Ccasu) has said the tabling of the University of Malawi (Unima) Bill in Parliament on Monday is deemed a declaration of war against the academic community and the citizenry at large.
The bill seeks to repeal the old Unima Act. It was scheduled for debate during the February, 2013 sitting of Parliament but Ccasu and Civil Society Education Coalition (Csec) protested arguing that the new bill would politicise tertiary education.
Reacting to the tabling of the Bill, Ccasu president Symon Ernest Chiziwa said Ccasu was dismayed to learn that the Unima Bill had been tabled in Parliament.
“What was more baffling was that when presenting the bill to the house the Minister of Education, Science and Technology claimed that thorough consultations had been made with representatives of public and private universities and other key stakeholders,” said Chiziwa.
He said the re-tabled bill was vehemently opposed in February. He said Ccasu made some pertinent observations and recommendations to ensure that the bill was in tandem with the spirit of the university and good governance in higher education.
“Then, the bill was halted and authorities promised to carry out consultations as a means of improving the quality of the bill as well as achieve consensus. This has not been done!
“As Ccasu, [we] feel the bill lacks a clearly articulated philosophy and ideology. It seeks to increase and accumulate power in few offices.
“The articles are full of contradictions. If passed in its present state the university will be subject to undue political interference and university management manipulations. Furthermore, the bill does not recognise staff unions and associations as critical partners in the development of university education in Malawi,” said Chiziwa.
He observed that Ccasu’s view is that there is a clique that is bent to destabilised the university and subject it to undue control.
“The ultimate resolution of Ccasu is that, unless and until full, comprehensive and all-inclusive consultations have happened, the re-tabling of this bill will be deemed a declaration of war against the academic community and the citizenry at large who ultimately own Unima,” concluded Chiziwa.
