Chanco, Poly won’t open today

There seems to be unending trouble in the University of Malawi (Unima) as, while striking support staff had to get a half salary, students from its two constituent colleges, The Polytechnic and Chancellor College (Chanco) will not be opening today.

While students from Chanco were sent home early December due to the strike by support staff, the opening date for The Polytechnic’s second semester has been postponed from today, January 5, to unknown date, according to a memo from the college’s registrar.

The Polytechnic Students Union (PSU) has also informed the students about the development through a statement, which said the changes are not due to the support staff strike, but because lecturers have withdrawn their services effective January 2 demanding pay rise and arrears.

“They have refused the 36 percent offer on condition that arrears are guaranteed. There will be another meeting on Monday, 5th of January 2015 between the University Council and Polytechnic management to resolve this advent saga. You will be informed of the revelations as they unfold,” reads part of the memo signed by PSU general secretary Rogers Nyirongo.

Meanwhile, the students are also expected to meet today to map the way forward.

A lecturer who spoke on condition of anonymity said yesterday government offered them 36 percent, but got 14 percent in November 2014 with arrears.

Polytechnic Academic Staff Committee on Welfare (Pascaw) chairperson Abel Mwanyungwe was not available for comment on the lecturers’ stand on the offer made to them.

But University of Malawi Students Union (Umsu) president Ronald Mhango said lecturers and Unima council are expected to meet to discuss the way forward.

Students from The Polytechnic, who closed for the first semester in October, were supposed to open at the beginning of December, but the holiday was extended to accommodate Christmas and New Year breaks.