Mzuzu University (Mzuni) on Friday suspended 75 needy students who have been denied government education loans on allegations that they caused havoc on the college campus in protest against government’s decision.
Government did not grant the 75 education loans on the basis that they can afford to pay fees because they were at private secondary schools before joining Mzuni as such the development annoyed the students who went on rampage, blocking the M1 Road last week.
According to a memo dated May 2, 2014 signed by Mzuni registrar Vyson Jedegwa, the students perpetrated mayhem on campus on April 28 and 29.
The memo states that the students vandalised school property, stole goods from vendors, damaged the M1 Road, demanded money from passengers, stole a security guard’s radio, damaged private vehicles and caused tension at the school.
“I write to inform the under listed students, also known as ‘the group of students who had their applications for Government loans disapproved by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology’ that because they caused mayhem on campus on 28th and 29th April 2014, the Vice-Chancellor (VC) in pursuance of his duties as contained in Statute IV part 4(a), part 4 (b iv) and part 4 (c) has instructed me to inform all the under listed students that they are being suspended from Mzuzu University with (immediate) effect, pending a disciplinary hearing,” reads the memo in part.
However, the students, through lawyer George Kadzipatike, got an injunction on Friday from the High Court in Mzuzu restraining the university from suspending them.
Mzuni VC Dr Robert Ridley on Saturday said he could not comment on the matter until the court issue was finalised.
But the suspended students said the criterion used for approving loans was not justifiable, arguing not all those who went to private schools could afford to pay the university fees.
They said some of the students only sat for exams at the private schools but were studying on their own and that some went there for night classes as such denying them loans will affect their studies.
