| The
University of Malawi
The University of Malawi was founded in 1964, as one of
the first acts of government under independence. At the time, all its activities -
including capital expenditure - were fully subsidized. The University of Malawi comprises
of seven constituent Colleges:
- Chancellor College
- Kamuzu College of Nursing
- Malawi College of Forestry
- Polytechnic
- Bunda College of Agriculture
- College of Medicine
- College of Accountancy
The University enrols approximately 3000 students, with roughly 1000
new enrolments every year.
In 1989, a study on the feasibility of introducing a distance education
component at the University of Malawi was undertaken by Tom Prebble from Massey
University, New Zealand. The Commonwealth of Learning funded the study. The study found
that introducing a distance education component at the University of Malawi would increase
the capacity of the institution. The study did, however, suggest that the University offer
a limited number of distance education programmes to achieve economies of scale, and that
these programmes be on diploma rather than on degree level. As a result of funding
constraints, the proposal was never implemented.
In 1997, the Malawi government commissioned the Malawi Institute of
Management (MIM) to conduct a two-year consultancy on effective management strategies for
- and the possible restructuring of - the University of Malawi. One of the MIM’s
recommendations was that the University explores the possibilities of introducing distance
education. In mid-1998, it was reported in the media that the vice-chancellor of the
University indicated that he would be going ahead with implementing distance education
programmes (particularly in the humanities and law) the moment that government approves
the recommendation.
Provision of free primary education (coupled with expansion of the
secondary education sector) placed severe restrictions on the education budget. In the
beginning of 1998, the Malawi government decided to drop twenty-one education institutions
from the public budget to kerb government expenditure. Among the institutions to be
dropped were the University Council and the Polytechnic Board of Governors. Following this
decision, the University of Malawi is exploring various options for increasing it from
other sources. Some of the options on the table are to increase university fees and to
introduce fees for meals and accommodation. Already in 1997 university fees were raised
from MK 360 per year to MK 1500. The cost per student peer year is estimated to be about
MK 70 000.
As a result of government cuts in university funding, speculation
persists in the media that University may be privatised. The University has, however,
strongly denied this. The University has been closed for extended periods over the past
two years due to student protests relating to lack of facilities, teaching aids, books,
and laboratory materials, as well as increases in university fees. |
