The Higher Education Students’ Loans and Grants Board says it is engaging relevant authorities to access increased financing to ensure that more needy students remain in school despite public universities’ 100 percent tuition fee hike.
The board’s spokesperson Millie Kasunda said in a written response yesterday that the institution only learnt about the increment on Tuesday and is engaging authorities on the matter.
She said: “We learned about the fees adjustment yesterday [Tuesday] and our board of directors met to deliberate on this. Further consultations are being done with the ministries of Finance and Education on the same.
“Once consultations are concluded and a way forward charted, we will communicate the position.”
Kasunda said the stakeholders on the consultation list include Ministry of Education, Science and Technology as well as Ministry of Finance, Economic Planning and Decentralisation
Public universities in the country announced the increase in tuition fees by 100 percent from K650 000 to K1.3 million per academic year, stirring panic among parents, guardians and students, especially the economically disadvantaged.
In the 2026/27 Budget, government has allocated K42 billion for student loans and upkeep allowances to cater for 38 000 needy students in public universities.
Malawi Public Universities Students’ Union president Wesley Malekano said his team met on Wednesday evening and agreed to write to relevant authorities on the matter.
He said: “We agree that the institutions need to hike fees, but not 100 percent. Students are already struggling and this will worsen the situation.”
On Wednesday, Secretary for Education, Science and Technology Ken Ndala said when government is raising fees, it is aware that it has to release resources to the needy students.
“The resources that we have will cater for about 38 000 students in the universities..”
Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in Parliament Simplex Chithyola Banda yesterday wondered whether government celebrates introducing free secondary school education, but doubles university tuition fees.
The former minister of Finance has since called for immediate review and reversal of the hike, urging government to continue meaningful engagement with university councils, students, parents and relevant stakeholders until a sustainable solution is found.
In a separate statement, Human Rights Defenders Coalition chairperson Michael Kaiyatsa urged government to substantially increase funding to HESLGB so that no academically qualified student is denied access to higher education because of poverty.
