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Hundreds of students enrolled in Malawi’s public universities have reportedly been left out of the latest Higher Education Students’ Loans and Grants Board (HESLGB) loan allocations, raising fears that many may fail to continue with their studies following the recent 100 percent increase in university tuition fees.
The development comes at a time when thousands of students and their families were hoping that government loans would cushion them from the sharp rise in the cost of higher education.
Earlier this year, several public universities, including the University of Malawi (UNIMA), Mzuzu University (MZUNI), Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR), Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences (MUBAS) and Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST), announced a doubling of annual tuition fees for generic undergraduate students from K650,000 to K1.3 million.
However, hundreds of students who had hoped to benefit from the Higher Education Students’ Loans and Grants Board have allegedly been left out, leaving their dreams of obtaining university degrees hanging in the balance.
A number of affected students who spoke to Cables on condition of anonymity expressed deep concern over the situation, saying years of hard work and academic sacrifice could be rendered meaningless if they fail to secure financial support.
The affected students include those in their first, second and third years of study.
They say they are now desperate and uncertain about what the future holds, particularly because many of them come from financially struggling families that cannot afford the newly revised tuition fees.
The situation is particularly worrying because the government had previously assured the public that financially disadvantaged but deserving students would not be denied access to higher education because of the fee increase.
At the same time, the HESLGB said it was under pressure to expand support as the number of students requiring financial assistance increased.
Reports in July indicated that the Board was targeting about 38,000 needy students across public universities and colleges.
When contacted, authorities from three public universities confirmed the development to Cables, saying they were aware that some students had not been included among loan beneficiaries.
The university authorities said they were engaging the Higher Education Students’ Loans and Grants Board in an effort to find a solution for the affected students.
The crisis comes against the backdrop of growing concern that the doubling of tuition fees could push academically deserving students from poor families out of higher education unless the student financing system is expanded to match the new costs.
The HESLGB itself has previously acknowledged that its mandate is to provide accessible and affordable loans and grants to needy and deserving students, while its funding has faced challenges.
Meanwhile, attempts by Cables to obtain a comment from officials at the Higher Education Students’ Loans and Grants Board and the Ministry of Education were unsuccessful by the time of going to press.
The affected students are now anxiously waiting for authorities to intervene, warning that without urgent assistance, many could be forced to suspend or abandon their studies altogether.
For hundreds of young Malawians, the question is no longer simply whether they qualified for university but whether they can afford to remain there.
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