Students at Chancellor College and the Polytechnic, constituent colleges of the University of Malawi, yesterday agreed to return to class despite grievances over accommodation and meal allowances.
The students have been pressing Council of the University of Malawi to increase their monthly allowances from K40 000 to K60 000 and reduce fees for self-sponsored students which have been raised from K150 000 to K250 000.
In May, the students took to the streets to present a petition to Chancellor of the University of Malawi President Joyce Banda after negotiations with college authorities failed.
The council later closed the two institutions. But two weeks ago, the council decided to open the two colleges and directed that students should sign consent forms, indicating their willingness to return to class.
Polytechnic Students Union (PSU) president Wakisa Simukonda said a meeting held yesterday urged the students to make their own decisions regarding the order to sign forms.
“Students signed forms before coming back so they made own decisions,” he said.
A student, who did not want to be identified, corroborated the story, saying Simukonda told them the consent forms had nothing to do with the union.
Chancellor College Students Union president Israel Masiano said students agreed to return to class and that the fight for increased allowances should continue.
At Polytechnic, many students who spoke during the meeting were of the view that a service provider at the institution’s cafeteria should leave the campus.
