CJE Calls for Review of 100% University Tuition Fee Hike

CJE Calls for Review of 100% University Tuition Fee Hike

By Chrispine Lwanja- Contributor

A civil society organisation, Citizens for Justice and Equity (CJE), has urged the Government to review its decision to increase tuition fees by 100 percent at public universities.

The call follows the recent announcement by public universities to raise annual tuition fees from K650,000 to K1.3 million.

In a press statement signed by the organisation’s Executive Director, Agape Khombe, CJE said the fee hike will make higher education too expensive for many Malawians at a time when families are struggling with the high cost of living, unemployment and low incomes.

Khombe said the increase could prevent thousands of deserving students from going to university, even though education is important for the country’s development.

“Education must remain a bridge to opportunity, not a barrier created by poverty,” Khombe said.

The organisation has also asked the Government to suspend the new tuition fees and hold discussions with students, parents, universities, labour representatives and civil society organisations before making a final decision.

Meanwhile, CJE has said that any decision on university funding should balance the need to keep public universities financially stable while protecting every deserving student’s constitutional right to access higher education.